That's not what I asked.
What if I go out of data coverage, but my friend's iPhone thinks I can receive an iMessage?
A regular SMS would come through to my phone - an iMessage would not.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
You don't like iMessage because you don't get it. [iMessage FAQ]
- Thread starter FSMBP
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
That's not what I asked.
What if I go out of data coverage, but my friend's iPhone thinks I can receive an iMessage?
A regular SMS would come through to my phone - an iMessage would not.
Your friend's iPhone would say "Message not delivered, retry as SMS?". As opposed your friend sending an SMS, and wondering if your phone ever got it (since you're in a area of bad coverage).
And I know you didn't ask that but you completely misrepresented the steps to send an iMessage. All the steps you listed were done in the background in the same amount of time as sending a text.
Again, iMessages is optional.
After reading numerous posts/comments, it seems that people who are against iMessage are the ones who don't understand it.
What does it do?
It's built into your iOS's Messaging app (the same one you already send Texts in). When you go to text someone, iOS 5 will automatically detect if that person is using an iOS 5 device & send it as an iMessage. If they aren't using iOS 5, it just sends it as a Text automatically. The End-user does NOTHING different that what you do today.
What are the benefits of iMessage versus just Texting?
-iMessages don't count against texting plans
-iMessages will tell you if your message is delivered (and Read, which is optional)
-There is no character limit, unlike the 160 characters in SMS
-iMessages use data (ex. 1KB), so you iMessage people internationally cheaper than SMS
-iMessage works on iPod touch, iPad
-Group Messaging
-iMessage works on Edge & 3G & Wifi (Good for us AT&T users with no reception)
What's the difference between iMessage & WhatsApp or Kik?
-To use WhatsApp or Kik, the other user has to have the those Apps. iMessage is built in.
-You use one app for SMS/iMessage, versus using WhatsApp and SMS/iMessage
-It's free (unlike WhatsApp)
-WhatsApp & Kik work on Android/iOS/Other platforms, iMessage is only for iOS 5 Devices
-With WhatsApp, you'll have messages scattered across WhatsApp and between your default Messages app.
-iMessages works on iPod touch/iPads. WhatsApp does not work on iPod touches/Wifi iPads
The Key here is: you do NOTHING different than you're currently doing to send an iMessage/Text; iOS picks the best option (iMessage being the best since all the benefits I listed above).
Why wouldn't you use iMessage?
-The only reason I can think of is this, you're traveling internationally & data is more expensive than international texting.
It makes no sense not to use iMessage. You can still use WhatsApp or Kik for Android/WP7 users but it makes no sense not to take advantage of iMessage too.
In summary: Apple automatically sends your texts are iMessages when possible (which is good since it's cheaper & has a lot of benefits.) People will be sending iMessages & not even know it (people who are oblivious that is).
Feel free to discuss or point out things I've missed.
Thanks.
Sounds like Apple once again is catching up to Android. I see nothjing ground breaking there as i get delivery notifications all the time, group messaging, no charactor limit unless i want it, everything your listing except detecting who has what device. Android dont care . Still works this way and i have unlimited texting. Find it hard to believe your messaging didnt work on 3G or wifi before.
Please tell me you have voice texting now. Ive been using that for a long time too.
I've just tried it and it just says "Waiting for Delivery..." for a long time. While I obviously know that the recipient hasn't got the message, the message is more likely to get there with SMS.
EDIT: After 5 minutes it sent it as an SMS which got delivered immediately. That's not too bad, but I'd still like the option - see my last point below.
I didn't misrepresent anything, I merely speculated based on what I'd read in earlier posts - it's now clear that things don't work how I speculated.
Only in the sense that it's either completely off or it's completely on. I can't choose to use iMessage when I'm talking to someone with an iPad/iPod touch and SMS when I'm talking to someone with an iPhone.
Correction, iOS has caught up with Android and has passed it.
But maybe you can learn to word your sentence correctly so it'll be easier to understand?
Fair enough.
Yeah, some choice would be nice (although, I can see an argument against). Keep in mind, this is Beta 1. Let's hope things evolve into a nicely polished iMessage experience.
Is it possible to turn iMessages off?
For example, if travelling overseas where it is more expensive for data rather than a single message!
For example, if travelling overseas where it is more expensive for data rather than a single message!
Yes.
iMessage can be turned off.
When it's turned off, other users would not be able to send you an iMessage (it would be sent as an SMS).
As has been pointed out above, since SMS works in areas that don't have any reliable data connection (and I know I was in a bar last night where I could send SMS with no problems whatsoever, but couldn't get enough mobile bandwidth to send a Tweet) it has considerable delivery benefits. Yes, iMessages will fall back to SMS eventually but 5 minutes is far too long IMO.
SMS also uses a robust retry mechanism on the carrier end if the message is undelivered because the recipient is underground/out of battery etc. This is very helpful in lots of instances.
Also the OP claims delivery reports as some big win for iMessages, which is odd as delivery reports are perfectly possible with SMS but the implementation depends on the carrier. For example, in O2 in the UK starting a SMS with *0# will cause a delivery report to be made.
iMessages would have been better split into a separate app IMO.
Phazer
SMS also uses a robust retry mechanism on the carrier end if the message is undelivered because the recipient is underground/out of battery etc. This is very helpful in lots of instances.
Also the OP claims delivery reports as some big win for iMessages, which is odd as delivery reports are perfectly possible with SMS but the implementation depends on the carrier. For example, in O2 in the UK starting a SMS with *0# will cause a delivery report to be made.
iMessages would have been better split into a separate app IMO.
Phazer
Surpassed it how? Im only using Froyo and have been able to do all that for a year. Gingerbread i havent even used yet since im using a custom ROM and waiting to get a GS2 later this year.
Honeycomb has been upgraded to 3.1 and working great in the new 10.1" and 8.9" tabs.
Ice Cream is coming this year to all Android devices. Id say Apple will soon be left in the dust while your just getting iOS5 with upgrades Android already has.
Dont get me wrong, i like Apple products but they are lagging behind big time now. I really hope they have a big upgrade to their next phone because this OS update isnt that big a deal with all the time they have had to improve it.
For the rest of world, Delivery Receipts are great - especially since I don't have to actively request them. Also, the optional Read Receipts are nice too.
And again this is a Beta, with Beta software. The "5 Minute wait" from sending an iMessage to auto retry as a SMS is not the experience others have had. This could have been because it's the iOS 5 Beta or iCould Beta.
I'm not saying iMessage is perfect but my original post speaks for itself. If for whatever reason you don't want to use it, then don't. For those of us who embrace new technologies, it is a nice addition.
To say that I don't "embrace new technologies" is hilarious considering that I'm using a beta OS on my phone.
Apple could easily make this better with a few options in the settings menu, but knowing them they simply wont.
I never said you don't embrace new technologies. I was speaking in general. I personally would rather have iMessage than not having it.
Since you're testing the software, and if you have improvements in mind, suggest them to Apple - it's Beta software & they may make changes.
I'm extremely excited about iMessage. It was honestly my favorite announcement. Why? Because I've been dying for the ability to text from my iPad or text people who have iPods but not iPhones. I also wouldn't be surprised to see some sort of iMessage app come to Macs. Might be wrong there.
However, I do have a few big (to me) questions, the answer to which might change my excitement to disappointment or "mehness":
Let's say I am texting my girlfriend. We both have iOS 5. We text like normal (using the already entered, phone # contact information). I put down my phone and switch over to my iPad. Apple says that you'll be able to continue conversations started on one device on a different device.
1) When I go to continue the conversation from my iPad, will the new messages show up within the same conversation, since the iPad itself isn't tied to the contact information for me that my girlfriend has? If not, will it automatically add it to the contact information?
2) Let's say I actually initiate a text conversation with my girlfriend from the iPad. Will it show up as being from me (since she has my phone # contact information already saved), or will it show up as being from, say, my email address?
The reason I keep the same email, same screen names, same phone numbers, etc is so I don't have to give out my new information again. It's a reason why I've never been a huge fan of BBMing in normal, every day circumstances. If you have a big contacts list, it's a hassle to go through and find and add everyone's BBM.
If Apple has made it so no one has to do anything different (no need to update contacts, no need to give out new contact information, etc), I will be one happy camper. I will be a little less happy if texts to my cell phone don't automatically go to my iPad when I'm not looking at my cell phone, or responses to text convos I initiate from my iPad don't also go to my phone.
However, I do have a few big (to me) questions, the answer to which might change my excitement to disappointment or "mehness":
Let's say I am texting my girlfriend. We both have iOS 5. We text like normal (using the already entered, phone # contact information). I put down my phone and switch over to my iPad. Apple says that you'll be able to continue conversations started on one device on a different device.
1) When I go to continue the conversation from my iPad, will the new messages show up within the same conversation, since the iPad itself isn't tied to the contact information for me that my girlfriend has? If not, will it automatically add it to the contact information?
2) Let's say I actually initiate a text conversation with my girlfriend from the iPad. Will it show up as being from me (since she has my phone # contact information already saved), or will it show up as being from, say, my email address?
The reason I keep the same email, same screen names, same phone numbers, etc is so I don't have to give out my new information again. It's a reason why I've never been a huge fan of BBMing in normal, every day circumstances. If you have a big contacts list, it's a hassle to go through and find and add everyone's BBM.
If Apple has made it so no one has to do anything different (no need to update contacts, no need to give out new contact information, etc), I will be one happy camper. I will be a little less happy if texts to my cell phone don't automatically go to my iPad when I'm not looking at my cell phone, or responses to text convos I initiate from my iPad don't also go to my phone.
iMessage will be a nice addition for me. I have a nice group of friends that I text that have the iPhone 4. However I will have to keep my unlimited texting around because I also have a decent sized group of friends that I text who have Android, WP7, and BlackBerry. But, I'm still wondering about how iCloud/iMessage will keep my conversations in sync between my iPhone and iPad. Only time will tell.
Could someone explain how I would go about sending an iMessage from my iPhone 4 to an iPad or iPod touch? Do you have to know the email address and/or Apple ID of the recipient? I still haven't found a definitive answer to this. Thanks!
Via email address or phone number for the person you want to message. Think email address has to be the apple id, but you can add additional email addresses if your apple ID isn't your main email address.
Eg My live.com is my main email and my apple id, but I have added my gmail in iMessage's settings as I've given that to some people and that's all they have for me.
Hope that makes sense as I'm half awake
You guys know that the SMS standard allows for delivery reports, right? I was using them on a crappy Nokia back in the mid 90s. It's an iPhone peculiarity that it doesn't support them, most other phones do.
Apple should have left iMessages off the iPad and iPod Touch and just made it an advanced iPhone-to-iPhone messaging system (like BBM). There's too much confusion and potential for missed messages when people have iPad/iPTs but not iPhones.
But that's not what your OP says. It says that people who aren't going to use iMessage don't understand it. We do. But if (like the majority of iPhone owners) you're located outside of the US it has fairly significant disadvantages for very little benefit.
Phazer
Last edited:
It's one thing to say you don't want to use it, it's another to say there are no benefits (even with your blanket statement that everyone outside the US won't benefit from it).
But your last sentence doesn't make sense. I've listed the benefits over SMS texting. As far as I know, it's cheaper(even free) to send a iMessage than international texts. Also, I would get a Delivery Receipt (without request) and an optional "Read Receipt." Also, I could do this from my iPod touch/iPad. Lastly, I could do this over my WiFi.
Are you telling me those benefits aren't worth it? I really doubt Apple didn't send months researching & figuring out how to make iMessage.
The only example given that makes SMS better than iMessage is if you're constantly in an area of poor data coverage. And at that point, maybe iMessaging isn't your biggest problem.
I think Apple knows what their doing; I've personally doubted them with the iPad & with even with Facetime, but apparently that company knows what its doing.
Last edited:
does it give you an indication that your sending an iMessage before you hit send or do you wait and see if the bubble turns blue or green, i would had to rely on this to send internationally messages only to seee them turn green and me getting hit with a bill
It's blue or green before you send the message, so you'll know before you send it.
just
i just wish they had an app like BBM, separate buddy lists and shows online/status and away messages. thats just me messages is becoming too cluttered
i just wish they had an app like BBM, separate buddy lists and shows online/status and away messages. thats just me messages is becoming too cluttered