Walkthrough of Apple's iMessages in iOS 5

[MacRumors]

One of the surprising new iOS 5 features announced during the WWDC 2011 keynote was the introduction of Apple's own messaging service called iMessages. The new service offers a number of advantages over current SMS/text messaging. Features include delivery receipts, see when someone's typing, secure encryption and support for iPad and iPod Touch devices. iMessages also circumvents the costly text messaging plans required by carriers. According to DaringFireball, Apple's mobile carrier partners only learned about the new feature at the same time as the rest of us: during the keynote.

Cult of Mac has posted a nice walkthrough explaining how iMessages work alongside standard SMS messages.

Fortunately, for the end user, the transition will be relatively transparent. iMessage has been integrated into the existing "Messages" app. If you would like to text someone, iOS 5 automatically checks to see if they are eligible to receive iMessages rather than the more costly standard text message:




Once a contact is known to support iMessage, a special blue chat bubble appears by that contact's name to indicate they support iMessage. If you don't want to ever send any standard text messages, there is a preference for Messages to only try to send iMessages instead of SMSs. In summary:

Overall, iMessages are great. Being able to see when a message has been delivered and whether it’s been read or not really enhance the communication experience. The best part is that you don’t have to even think about them because if Apple is doing all of the work completely behind the scenes so that you won’t even notice. Using iMessages on multiple devices with the new support of iCloud ensures that you’ll never miss a beat when you’re working on both your iPad and iPhone.

Apple previewed iOS 5 during the WWDC 2011 keynote on Monday. iOS 5 is presently available as a beta to registered developers but won't be released to the public until this fall.

Article Link: Walkthrough of Apple's iMessages in iOS 5

 

[DB2k]

text message plans aren't "costly"

Be interesting to see how much data this service uses for both ends of the conversation. Data plans are going to be very easily breached with iCloud and iMessaging.

Also Apple will have to move from udp to TCP for its notifications imo.

 

[chrmjenkins]

text message plans aren't "costly"

Be interesting to see how much data this service uses for both ends of the conversation. Data plans are going to be very easily breached with iCloud and iMessaging.

Also Apple will have to move from udp to TCP for its notifications imo.

Yes, they are. The $/MB is insane for texting plans.

I also don't know why you think there is going to be an explosion of data usage. No music streaming, and I'm sure most of the syncing will be Wifi only (home network near computer) with the explicit option to choose the data delivery method for such operations.

That being said, it's not as if this is anything new. Carriers have supported BB's implementation of the same type of feature for years without fuss.

 

[ten-oak-druid]

Can't wait to be iIMing on imessage.

Come on Apple. Make those talented people in marketing be creative. Slapping an i in front of everything is too easy.

 

[Biolizard]

That being said, it's not as if this is anything new. Carriers have supported BB's implementation of the same type of feature for years without fuss.

This.

Apple's implementation might be better than RIM's, but it's nothing really new. We're not witnessing the death of SMS here as is being purported in some corners.

 

[Small White Car]

Ok, at first I didn't understand the point of this thing. I didn't know who'd want a whole new messaging program.

But if you just go to text and the iPhone's like "Hey, they have an iPhone...don't worry this one's free!" then that is seriously bad-ass.

 

[slicecom]

text message plans aren't "costly"

Are you kidding? AT&T's text messages cost $1,310 per Megabyte. Thats pretty darn costly.

 

[ten-oak-druid]

Yes, they are. The $/MB is insane for texting plans.

I also don't know why you think there is going to be an explosion of data usage. No music streaming, and I'm sure most of the syncing will be Wifi only (home network near computer) with the explicit option to choose the data delivery method for such operations.

That being said, it's not as if this is anything new. Carriers have supported BB's implementation of the same type of feature for years without fuss.

Tell me about it. This whole text message fee from the phone companies is nothing more than collusion on their parts to fix prices. They all get to squeeze $5 extra out of every customer per month. It adds up.

The data for text messages should be covered by either the phone plan or the data plan. This is ridiculous.

 

[Merthyrboy]

Can't believe they changed the send button to green in the messaging app yeah I agree with DB2K with that the Internet plans cost more than texting. Also is there any news on how it will find out if they have iMessaging on iPad or iPod touch unless they just compare the contact to see if they have an email that is an apple ID

 

[chrmjenkins]

Can't wait to be iIMing on imessage.

Come on Apple. Make those talented people in marketing be creative. Slapping an i in front of everything is too easy.

Apparently you don't understand the reason they do that.

iSomething has become so ubiquitous that brand recognition is through the roof. The only thing they risk is becoming so well known that their brand loses meaning, as has happened with Kleenex (as opposed to the generic tissue).

 

[Nyalotha]

Are you kidding? AT&T's text messages cost $1,310 per Megabyte. Thats pretty darn costly.

Interesting, where I'm from 55$ a month get me unlimited texting, 200 minutes, unlimited after 6pm/weekends, and a gig data plan.

 

[ten-oak-druid]

Interesting, where I'm from 55$ a month get me unlimited texting, 200 minutes, unlimited after 6pm/weekends, and a gig data plan.

And I'll wager for no text messages in the plan you'll save $5 a month.

It's a scam.

Apparently you don't understand the reason they do that.

iSomething has become so ubiquitous that brand recognition is through the roof. The only thing they risk is becoming so well known that their brand loses meaning, as has happened with Kleenex (as opposed to the generic tissue).

I understand it. But being a happy Apple customer for years, I get a little concerned when I groan about another "i" product. I think it is time for Apple to innovate like they usually do: before most people think it is time to. I'm not saying drop all "i" products. Keep the iphone, etc. But not every app needs that.

 

[iPadThai]

text message plans aren't "costly"

Be interesting to see how much data this service uses for both ends of the conversation. Data plans are going to be very easily breached with iCloud and iMessaging.

Also Apple will have to move from udp to TCP for its notifications imo.

Dude you are quite oblivious. SMS rates and packages are just stupid. It's gone from being free incoming to $0.10/message to a whopping $0.25/msg and now $30 on AT&T buys you unlimited...

If you don't need unlimited, you are offered some stupid plans (which are $$$ generators for carriers but for consumers, it's a no-win situation): 1500 messages for a double digit price. Good grief, I welcome data messages sent via iCloud.

I'm going to actually kill off SMS when this arrives in iOS 5.0 Everyone I know or give a rats arse about uses an iOS device. If you don't use one, then you don't get a message from me. And I don't care for a message from you either.

Gone are the days of cross carrier compatibility issues and delays. Apple is smart enough to release these features THIS YEAR because they have built up enough user base to justify it. If they had built this year 1 of iPhone release, I'm sure AT&T would flip and somehow manage to find a way to rrape people on their messaging/data plans again.

 

[joeshmo2010]

Are you kidding? AT&T's text messages cost $1,310 per Megabyte. Thats pretty darn costly.

What the hell kind of texting are you talking?? Over $1000/mb? No.... Texting on att uses voice, not data. And it's $20/month for unlimited. That's the same everywhere basically.

 

[Nyalotha]

And I'll wager for no text messages in the plan you'll save $5 a month.

It's a scam.

The only plan that offered that, was less of a 'bundle' so it would end up being more costly. All data plans come with unlimited texting, at least on my provider. With 500mb to 1 gig, being a 5$ difference.

 

[baryon]

This is awesome! I hate the character limits in text messages. Although they are free for most people, routing this through the internet still has many advantages: multiple devices, no character limits, independence of operator (could probably work on iPod Touch with WiFi?).

 

[Simgar988]

Apparently you don't understand the reason they do that.

iSomething has become so ubiquitous that brand recognition is through the roof. The only thing they risk is becoming so well known that their brand loses meaning, as has happened with Kleenex (as opposed to the generic tissue).

This won't happen because there are many different idevices. If it would have happened to anything, it would have been the iPod and it wasn't even close.

No chance

 

[christophermdia]

This is going to be HUGE for traveling especially overseas. A couple of weeks ago I went to the Bahamas where the ATT rates were astronomical for phone and data use. I decided to keep the cellular data off and use skype for my phone call needs, only thing is I could not SMS which I do a lot of....now with imessage I can sudo-sms. Also when your on a flight with wifi, I had felt the need to sms a quick question to someone, who would be more responsive with sms rather than email.......imessage will be big!

 

[bentup]

Looking forward to kicking Kik!

 

[baleensavage]

This seems like a nice feature for phone users, but it seems to me Apple just can't make up their mind what to do with messaging between iChat, Facetime and now iMessage. Why not put all 3 into one messaging protocol that supports text and video messaging. Oh wait, iChat already did that. And people wonder why Skype is so popular?

I am curious to know if the new iMessages app for the Mac will send SMS messages to non-iPhones. That would be a useful feature. I can already chat with people on an iPhone with any one of the many messaging apps.

 

[chrmjenkins]

I understand it. But being a happy Apple customer for years, I get a little concerned when I groan about another "i" product. I think it is time for Apple to innovate like they usually do: before most people think it is time to. I'm not saying drop all "i" products. Keep the iphone, etc. But not every app needs that.

But it's enough of a feature to warrant a unique name and apple has a standard naming scheme for new products. What else would you suggest?

 

[garoto]

What if internet connection is not available (neither 3G, Edge, or WiFi), but cellular connection is available (highly unlikely), will iOS know that it needs to send it as a regular sms instead of iMessage? What if I simply want to stick to regular sms instead of iMessage, can I turn that off? Can I have control? Can I have a CHOICE?

You guys do realize where things are headed right. Yes iCloud is great now, but its headed towards hey-why-do-you-need-to-download-music-to-your-drive-we-can-just-give-you-access-to-it-through-the-cloud-without-you-ever-having-to-download-it-theres-nothing-new-to-learn-simply-purchase-songs-as-you-used-to-and-play-from-any-device-immediately-no-need-to-waste-store type of cr*p. You will NEVER OWN anything, you will have to rely on a "service". I don't like where things are headed, I think they're great now, but the cloud is going to become everybody's hard drive one day. Look at google chrome.

 

[ten-oak-druid]

The only plan that offered that, was less of a 'bundle' so it would end up being more costly. All data plans come with unlimited texting, at least on my provider. With 500mb to 1 gig, being a 5$ difference.

Well it sounds like your company is actually including text messages in the data plan then. However Verizon and ATT both charge $5 a month for text messages in addition to whatever plan you have for phone and data. It has been a while since I had sprint so I do not know about them.

The data plans are ridiculous too. Similar to what you quote, you are given a choice of 200mb or greater than a GB and nothing in between. I've used less than 200mb most months but have started using data a bit more so I creep up to 400mb some months. They need more tiers.

For text messages I choose no plan and pay per message. A it goes I usually come in under the $5 per month except months with major holidays. Still I think it should be included.

In France it was exposed that the phone companies were price fixing. If we had real journalists still in the US, I'm sure the same would be found here. But the news is part of the corporate world now so that is how it goes.

 

[Small White Car]

You guys do realize where things are headed right. Yes iCloud is great now, but its headed towards hey-why-do-you-need-to-download-music-to-your-drive-we-can-just-give-you-access-to-it-through-the-cloud-without-you-ever-having-to-download-it-theres-nothing-new-to-learn-simply-purchase-songs-as-you-used-to-and-play-from-any-device-immediately-no-need-to-waste-store type of cr*p.

That sounds like Google's plan which is nothing like Apple's plan.

Look at google chrome.

Indeed. So?

 

[yanksrock100]

I have an ipod touch, and i use a free texting app so i can text phones. its not a great experience

Can i text non-ios devices with imessage?

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