Should Apple set up iMessage to send SMSes?

[scapegoat81]

I just e-mailed a text message from my iPad to someone who does not accept iMessages. This made me think. Wouldn't it be nice if Apple created an iMessage-to-SMS gateway? I would prefer, of course, that a designated phone number, whether the device that uses that number is an iPhone or not, show up on the recipient's phone as the sender's phone number.

I imagine this would make the iPhone look more favorable to someone who's stuck with a carrier that charges more for texting than for a good data plan.

Maybe this would also make the iPod touch or iPad more favorable to those who do not, and may never, want to buy an iPhone.

What are your thoughts?

Yes. Yes. & uhhhh Yes.
Eff these carriers. They've been robbing us for too long. Time to move forward & break loose from their stranglehold

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Apple is all about ecosystems.
I would much rather see them expand on iMessage (free texting between iOS devices) and implement free VoIP calling between iOS devices first.

^This.

 

[iBreatheApple]

It's due to our ignorance, really, that they get away with charging so inanely for SMS. If outlying rates were more commonly known they carriers would likely lay off a bit because of customer demand/satisfaction. That's my $.02, anyway.

 

[scapegoat81]

Seriously, in this day and age, if you **pay** for SMS, you are a mug.

*tips hat.
I turned off unlimited text & put my wife & I on an iMessage diet about a year ago. No regrets.

 

[iBreatheApple]

*tips hat.
I turned off unlimited text & put my wife & I on an iMessage diet about a year ago. No regrets.

Turned mine of two weeks ago as I "never" SMS because "everyone" I talk to has an iPhone or and iMessage capable device... called AT&T to reactivate it three days later. $.20 a message? Just as ridiculous as the $20 they charge for unlimited but I'd rather not go over $20 worth of pay-per-use than be stubborn.

 

[scapegoat81]

Yeah it sucks, & I would rather not have to deal with it, but you cannot wipe out your text message plan altogether because the carriers will not allow you to turn it off. And without a plan, people can send you text messages all day & you are charged for incoming messages just as much as you are charged for outgoing messages.

Idk where u live or what carrier you use, but I opted out of texting all together on both me & my wife's phone. On AT&T in the good ol' US of A

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Turned mine of two weeks ago as I "never" SMS because "everyone" I talk to has an iPhone or and iMessage capable device... called AT&T to reactivate it three days later. $.20 a message? Just as ridiculous as the $20 they charge for unlimited but I'd rather not go over $20 worth of pay-per-use than be stubborn.

Definitely. I recently opted out of texting all together to go strictly iMessage & Whatsapp, but after my wife found out, needless to say I had to opt back in Lol.
No problem tho. As long as I stay under the price of Unlimited Family Texting ($30/mo), I'm a happy camper. The closest we came to that was $10 for the "pay per text".
Still. No regrets.
I even dumbed down our monthly minutes from 700 to 550 cuz all we do is communicate via iMessage, Twitter, Facebook, or Whatsapp. Even with At&t's rollover minutes, we make out well. I went from roughly a 145/mo down to 100/mo for 2 iPhones.

& for those who quote this & ask, "Why don't you just get a Shared family data plan, it comes with unlimited talk & text"....... Save it.

 

[DaveTheRave]

I recently opted out of texting all together to go strictly iMessage & Whatsapp...

Dumb question, but can you use Whatsapp to sent a text to a non-Whatsapp user? And if so, do replies go back to Whatsapp or come in as a regular SMS?

 

[scapegoat81]

Dumb question, but can you use Whatsapp to sent a text to a non-Whatsapp user? And if so, do replies go back to Whatsapp or come in as a regular SMS?

No u cannot. Sending texts via Whatsapp works just like iMessage. It uses your data plan. U need Whatsapp on both ends for it to work.

 

[ThisIsNotMe]

Like FaceTime with the camera disabled?

Yes.