Apple, your integration of SMS/MMS/iMessage sucks. Either fix it or separate them.

[Eug]

Where I live, it's free to send SMSs if both users are on the same carrier, otherwise there is a charge (approx. US$ 0.065 per text).

The good thing about messaging apps like iMessage is it made the carriers here rethink their messaging plans. We used to pay 25 cents (!) per text and sometimes more for MMS, if we weren't on messaging plans. Now for my provider, all the in-market plans are unlimited SMS and MMS for both domestic and international messages, send and receive.

One specific advantage of iMessage over MMS is that MMS always reduces the image size to send. However, I usually don't send full-sized pix anyway. I consider that rude for some people when using iMessage, because it eats into their data plan. If you only have 200 MB, it doesn't make sense to send them 5 MB images, and not everyone has the foresight to turn off iMessage over cellular. MMS also requires data service, but MMS doesn't count toward your data plan.


BTW, one company is now claiming that iMessage accounts for nearly 1/3rd of mobile spam.

Wired: Apple’s iMessage Is Being Taken Over by Spammers

A year ago, Tom Landesman—who works for security and anti-spam company Cloudmark—had never seen an iMessage spam. But he and his company now say that, thanks to one particularly aggressive campaign from a junk mailer, it accounts for more than 30 percent of all mobile spam messages.

---

Apple’s iMessage system spans across the iPad, iPhone, and Apple’s laptop and desktop systems. That fusion of the desktop and mobile world makes it particularly easy for scammers to write a Mac OS script that can send messages to all types of devices just as fast as Apple will allow. “It’s almost like a spammer’s dream,” says Landesman. “With four lines of code, using Apple scripts, you can tell your Mac machine to send message to whoever they want.”

Most of the time, the spammer will need a phone number to deliver the iMessage spam, but if you’ve added your email address to iMessage, the spammers can get you using that address too. (On your phone, you can see which addresses and phone numbers are associated with your iMessage account by visiting: Settings –> Messages –> Send and Receive),

Apple’s desktop client instantly tells you whether or not the number you’ve entered is registered with the iMessage network, so scammers could use this feature to generate a list of verified iMessages users. As an added bonus, iMessage notifies the scammer whether the message they’ve sent out has been read or not.

---

A year ago, Apple didn’t appear to limit the velocity at which its users could pump out iMessages. In fact, hackers devised ways of spamming their victims with rapid-fire iMessage attacks that overwhelmed the iMessage app. Now, the company has added rate-limiting to the iMessage network, Landesman says. And there’s also a slightly burdensome way to report iMessage spammers and get them banned from Apple’s network. You have to email the company a screenshot of the spam, the phone number or email address of the spammer, and the date and time it was sent.

But if Apple is doing anything to take these spammers off the network, it’s moving slowly. WIRED reported one spam address to Apple on Wednesday of last week. As of Monday afternoon, it was still active on the iMessage network. We also checked three other email addresses used in spam campaigns over the past few days. They were all still active too. The spammers, by the way, did not respond to our iMessage requests for interviews.

As for the beleaguered users, there’s not much they can do. They can report the spam, or in extreme cases, turn off the iMessage service altogether (Settings –> Messages –> iMessage). One other option: You can turn off alerts from iMessage users who aren’t in your list of contacts (Settings –>Notification Center –> Messages –> Show Alerts from My Contacts).

 

[smackababy]

"Send as SMS" actives SMS fallback. SMS is only primary if iMessage is disabled.

The point being that iPhones should never "lose" messages as Eug experiences. If they can't get a message off via iMessage, they need to drop down to SMS and send it that way.

Because, the message isn't "lost", it just isn't received on the users current phone. iMessage servers are receiving the message, it just isn't being displayed. They can't know that if there isn't something on Android telling them so.

 

[Eug]

For picture iMessages, even if the fallback does work, it doesn't actually work, cuz all it does is send an SMS saying it can't send the image. It does NOT convert the image to MMS.

 

[smackababy]

I haven't had that happen, but that sounds like a legitimate issue. They should fix that!

 

[Tegeril]

"Send as SMS" actives SMS fallback. SMS is only primary if iMessage is disabled.

The point being that iPhones should never "lose" messages as Eug experiences. If they can't get a message off via iMessage, they need to drop down to SMS and send it that way.

I know what it does, I'm saying I never want it on because unless I'm texting with a known non-iMessage user, I don't want to send a text. I'd rather have iMessage fail and then have me try again later than have it fall back to sending a text to an iMessage user.

 

[Ichinisan]

iMessage has been the greatest thing EVER for me. It just works.

On principle, I refuse to pre-pay for text messages - limited or unlimited. Texting only reduces load on their network because it makes some calls unnecessary. AT&T should encourage it.

My grandfathered unlimited data plan charges me per-message. It's annoying when my friends forget to text my Google Voice number when they include a non-iPhone user in a group message. Even though that happens occasionally, it still works out to a few bucks each month in texting charges for non-iMessage texts received.

Yes, friends have encountered the iMessage issue when they switch to a non-iPhone. Apple needs to hurry up and enable online iMessage through iCloud.com and also have the option to disassociate your phone number from there.

I've heard that some countries have had iMessage integration with iCloud.com and even text conversations synced with all iDevices for a long time, but it's being touted as an iOS 8 feature because most countries didn't have it previously.

 

[Ichinisan]

For picture iMessages, even if the fallback does work, it doesn't actually work, cuz all it does is send an SMS saying it can't send the image. It does NOT convert the image to MMS.

Could be something wrong with CarrierSettings making the phone think your carrier hasn't enabled MMS.

Who is your carrier, by the way?

 

[Ichinisan]

The good thing about messaging apps like iMessage is it made the carriers here rethink their messaging plans. We used to pay 25 cents (!) per text and sometimes more for MMS, if we weren't on messaging plans. Now for my provider, all the in-market plans are unlimited SMS and MMS for both domestic and international messages, send and receive.

One specific advantage of iMessage over MMS is that MMS always reduces the image size to send. However, I usually don't send full-sized pix anyway. I consider that rude for some people when using iMessage, because it eats into their data plan. If you only have 200 MB, it doesn't make sense to send them 5 MB images, and not everyone has the foresight to turn off iMessage over cellular. MMS also requires data service, but MMS doesn't count toward your data plan.


BTW, one company is now claiming that iMessage accounts for nearly 1/3rd of mobile spam.

Wired: Apple’s iMessage Is Being Taken Over by Spammers

A year ago, Tom Landesman—who works for security and anti-spam company Cloudmark—had never seen an iMessage spam. But he and his company now say that, thanks to one particularly aggressive campaign from a junk mailer, it accounts for more than 30 percent of all mobile spam messages.

---

Apple’s iMessage system spans across the iPad, iPhone, and Apple’s laptop and desktop systems. That fusion of the desktop and mobile world makes it particularly easy for scammers to write a Mac OS script that can send messages to all types of devices just as fast as Apple will allow. “It’s almost like a spammer’s dream,” says Landesman. “With four lines of code, using Apple scripts, you can tell your Mac machine to send message to whoever they want.”

Most of the time, the spammer will need a phone number to deliver the iMessage spam, but if you’ve added your email address to iMessage, the spammers can get you using that address too. (On your phone, you can see which addresses and phone numbers are associated with your iMessage account by visiting: Settings –> Messages –> Send and Receive),

Apple’s desktop client instantly tells you whether or not the number you’ve entered is registered with the iMessage network, so scammers could use this feature to generate a list of verified iMessages users. As an added bonus, iMessage notifies the scammer whether the message they’ve sent out has been read or not.

---

A year ago, Apple didn’t appear to limit the velocity at which its users could pump out iMessages. In fact, hackers devised ways of spamming their victims with rapid-fire iMessage attacks that overwhelmed the iMessage app. Now, the company has added rate-limiting to the iMessage network, Landesman says. And there’s also a slightly burdensome way to report iMessage spammers and get them banned from Apple’s network. You have to email the company a screenshot of the spam, the phone number or email address of the spammer, and the date and time it was sent.

But if Apple is doing anything to take these spammers off the network, it’s moving slowly. WIRED reported one spam address to Apple on Wednesday of last week. As of Monday afternoon, it was still active on the iMessage network. We also checked three other email addresses used in spam campaigns over the past few days. They were all still active too. The spammers, by the way, did not respond to our iMessage requests for interviews.

As for the beleaguered users, there’s not much they can do. They can report the spam, or in extreme cases, turn off the iMessage service altogether (Settings –> Messages –> iMessage). One other option: You can turn off alerts from iMessage users who aren’t in your list of contacts (Settings –>Notification Center –> Messages –> Show Alerts from My Contacts).

I have always received occasional text message spam, which pisses me off because I have to pay for each message. I have never received a single spam iMessage.

 

[Ichinisan]

The problem I also have is I occasionally get charged for text when I sent it as iMessage. It's highly annoying problem that costs me money. So I try to stick to Google Voice text whenever possible even if I know they have an iPhone.

I never have that problem with outgoing messages because I have disabled the SMS fallback option in Settings > Messages.

I still have the problem of people who don't have iPhones texting (and group messaging) my AT&T number instead of my Google Voice number.

Anyway, the Google Voice iOS app has always been neglected and absurdly terrible. When will Google fully integrate it with Hangouts? Need it NOW!

When an Android user doesn't have Hangouts set as the default messaging app, their message comes to my horrible Google Voice app.

When I need to text a number, I have to do it from my horrible Google Voice app.

 

[Ichinisan]

The problem here is even if you turn off iMessage completely on all iOS devices, sometimes it still tries to send iMessages, and then of course it fails.

The only way I was able to fix this was to delete the receiver's contact from the sender's phone and then re-enter the contact information. Obviously, this is impossible in most circumstances, and is totally brain dead on Apple's part.

Plus, this "fix" doesn't guarantee it is fixed for all senders.

---

BTW, I've heard there is a blanket rule as you describe, but it's 45-90 DAYS. WTF?

Maybe one of the conversation threads you were testing was actually started by an email address instead of a phone number?

 

[ponyo]

I never have that problem with outgoing messages because I have disabled the SMS fallback option in Settings > Messages.

I still have the problem of people who don't have iPhones texting (and group messaging) my AT&T number instead of my Google Voice number.

Anyway, the Google Voice iOS app has always been neglected and absurdly terrible. When will Google fully integrate it with Hangouts? Need it NOW!

When an Android user doesn't have Hangouts set as the default messaging app, their message comes to my horrible Google Voice app.

When I need to text a number, I have to do it from my horrible Google Voice app.

That only helps for the outgoing text message. It doesn't help on incoming text message unless everyone has disabled SMS fallback option.

Google Voice iOS app is old and ugly but it works fine. Google integrated VOIP calling with iOS Hangout last year so you can make unlimited free data calls with Hangout. That's still missing from Android Hangout. I don't want Google Voice integration with Hangout. That would mean I have to sign up for Google+ just to use Google Voice. Google+ requirement is the reason why I don't use Hangout on iOS. I will not sign up for Google+. If Google+ becomes a requirement for Google Voice on iOS, I will switch back to Android.

As for having to text with the ugly Google Voice app, that's Apple's fault, not Google. On Android, you can have Google Voice seamlessly integrated with the system dialer and texting app if you wish. So you never have to open the Google Voice app. With iOS, Apple prohibits this kind of system level integration. You can't specify another app to be used as the default system app. So you should blame Apple for having to open the ugly Google Voice app every time you have to call or text with your Google Voice number. On Android, you don't.

 

[Ichinisan]

That only helps for the outgoing text message. It doesn't help on incoming text message unless everyone has disabled SMS fallback option.

Google Voice iOS app is old and ugly but it works fine. Google integrated VOIP calling with iOS Hangout last year so you can make unlimited free data calls with Hangout. That's still missing from Android Hangout. I don't want Google Voice integration with Hangout. That would mean I have to sign up for Google+ just to use Google Voice. Google+ requirement is the reason why I don't use Hangout on iOS. I will not sign up for Google+. If Google+ becomes a requirement for Google Voice on iOS, I will switch back to Android.

As for having to text with the ugly Google Voice app, that's Apple's fault, not Google. On Android, you can have Google Voice seamlessly integrated with the system dialer and texting app if you wish. So you never have to open the Google Voice app. With iOS, Apple prohibits this kind of system level integration. You can't specify another app to be used as the default system app. So you should blame Apple for having to open the ugly Google Voice app every time you have to call or text with your Google Voice number. On Android, you don't.

No. Google Voice is neglected on Android too.

It really feels like Google always wanted it to be as bad as possible. In iOS, you can tell it was never even updated to work natively as an iOS 7 app (the older style keyboard gives this away). For YEARS you couldn't even type in landscape orientation. I think it was almost a year before it was updated to support the screen aspect of the iPhone 5 (so landscape typing was harder than it needed to because the keyboard was condensed more than necessary). I mean, for almost a year it was the *only* app I used that didn't support the full screen size of iPhone 5 / iPod touch 5th gen.

Even now, it's nearly unusable. I don't know how you can say "works fine." Is yours different from mine?

• Opening from a notification doesn't load the conversation.
• When you have a conversation open, messages from that person pop-up with disruptive pop-up boxes that have to be dismissed. Of course, it's hard to type your own message to someone when their messages keep popping-up and preventing you from typing.
• Even after the incoming messages pop-up and get dismissed, they STILL don't appear in the conversation that you already have open unless you back out, then refresh / re-load the conversation. (!!!!!)
• Loads of UI glitches (especially relating to orientation)
• The only app I use that still runs the phone version on iPad (now that Ookla Speedtest has updated to be a universal app).

None of that is Apple's fault. I have no desire to let Hangouts or GV replace Messages. They both have strange usability issues that don't occur with Messages/iMessage.

 

[ponyo]

All of the points you listed I've experienced with the iOS app. Well, except for the orientation glitches. I use my phone and tablet in portrait only except for videos. But none of your points effect the final outcome nor does it make it "nearly unusable." And none of the glitches cost me money. Everything with Google Voice is still free so I can easily overlook the flaws on the iOS app. IMessage glitches cost me money. That's the big difference. IMessage works great and is extremely handy when I'm conversing with family, relatives, and close friends since they all own iPhones, iPod Touch, and iPads. But when occasional glitches cost me money, I get annoyed.

 

[CZroe]

...As for having to text with the ugly Google Voice app, that's Apple's fault, not Google. On Android, you can have Google Voice seamlessly integrated with the system dialer and texting app if you wish. So you never have to open the Google Voice app. With iOS, Apple prohibits this kind of system level integration. You can't specify another app to be used as the default system app. So you should blame Apple for having to open the ugly Google Voice app every time you have to call or text with your Google Voice number. On Android, you don't.

That's what I thought, until enabling the option to receive Google Voice messages in the Messages app resulted in a $30 texting overage charge back in 2011. That's right: Google warns you about setting up text forwarding on the desktop page, but misrepresents the function AND gives no warning on the Android version! Despite users EXPECTING it to work like iMessage, BBM, and Windows Live Messenger and it being worded as if it was exactly the option they were looking for, Google NEVER fixed it! I had to hack my rooted phone with some Xvoice+ thing for Xposed Framework ripped (from CyanogenMod) which never quite worked before Google did something and now it doesn't work at all. I had better integration with SMS GV Extensions on a jailbroken iPhone.

The dialer integration for call history is nice (calls from GV number, shows intended recipients instead of access numbers) but lots of apps do that (Facebook Messenger, Skype, Hangouts, etc). Even that needs improvement. There's no easy way to toggle GV dialing, for example. I also use GV for visual voicemail but the dialer still calls the carrier voicemail. I have to listen to my VMs in the app, there's no way to make a shortcut straight to VM, the vast majority of VMs DO NOT PLAY unless I hit play several times (plays one second and stops while total length shows 0:00; sometimes total length corrects itself and you can play it but it still pauses after the first second; other times I have to leave the VM and come back to it).

 

[Tegeril]

No. Google Voice is neglected on Android too.

It really feels like Google always wanted it to be as bad as possible. In iOS, you can tell it was never even updated to work natively as an iOS 7 app (the older style keyboard gives this away). For YEARS you couldn't even type in landscape orientation. I think it was almost a year before it was updated to support the screen aspect of the iPhone 5 (so landscape typing was harder than it needed to be. Excuse the keyboard was condensed more than necessary). I mean, for almost a year it was the *only* app I used that didn't support the full screen size of iPhone 5 / iPod touch 5th gen.

Even now, it's nearly unusable. I don't know how you can say "works fine." Is yours different from mine?

• Opening from a notification doesn't load the conversation.
• When you have a conversation open, messages from that person pop-up with disruptive pop-up boxes that have to be dismissed. Of course, it's hard to type your own message to someone when their messages keep popping-up and preventing you from typing.
• Even after the incoming messages pop-up and get dismissed, they STILL don't appear in the conversation that you already have open unless you back out, then refresh / re-load the conversation. (!!!!!)
• Loads of UI glitches (especially relating to orientation)
• The only app I use that still runs the phone version on iPad (now that Ookla Speedtest has updated to be a universal app).

None of that is Apple's fault. I have no desire to let Hangouts or GV replace Messages. They both have strange usability issues that don't occur with Messages/iMessage.

My favorite Google Voice app bug in iOS is when your network hops from WIFI to LTE (sometimes) or when you lose cell service in a low service area, the messages view suddenly doesn't think a keyboard is present and resizes, leaving the keyboard up over half the conversation making it unable to type. Then you back out, go back to the message, and rewrite it.

The app is a pile of garbage. But it gives me the free texts with a real # so I can use iMessage only how I want.

 

[Ichinisan]

My favorite Google Voice app bug in iOS is when your network hops from WIFI to LTE (sometimes) or when you lose cell service in a low service area, the messages view suddenly doesn't think a keyboard is present and resizes, leaving the keyboard up over half the conversation making it unable to type. Then you back out, go back to the message, and rewrite it.

The app is a pile of garbage. But it gives me the free texts with a real # so I can use iMessage only how I want.

Ah, yes. That was an infuriating UI glitch. It seemed to happen practically every time I had typed something that would be particularly difficult to re-type. There was no way to show the text field so I could at least copy my text. No way to go ahead and send what I had typed. Absolutely maddening.

 

[Eug]

What are the system requirements for SMS/MMS (not iMessage) on the Mac and iPad?

My Mac doesn't support Handoff, but I'm thinking SMS/MMS won't have the same requirements as Handoff, since SMS/MMS would be using WiFi, not Bluetooth. None of my Macs support Handoff.

I have a 2009 MacBook Pro, a 2010 iMac, and an iPad 2, which would be good to use with SMS/MMS. The Macs support Yosemite and the iPad 2 supports iOS 8.

 

[Ichinisan]

What are the system requirements for SMS/MMS (not iMessage) on the Mac and iPad?

My Mac doesn't support Handoff, but I'm thinking SMS/MMS won't have the same requirements as Handoff, since SMS/MMS would be using WiFi, not Bluetooth. None of my Macs support Handoff.

I have a 2009 MacBook Pro, a 2010 iMac, and an iPad 2, which would be good to use with SMS/MMS. The Macs support Yosemite and the iPad 2 supports iOS 8.

I'm pretty sure that works since it will go through iMessage+iCloud and not through your device. You probably have to use a carrier that supports Apple's back end stuff (like visual voicemail) and the carrier must know that you're using an iPhone.

 

[Eug]

I'm pretty sure that works since it will go through iMessage+iCloud and not through your device. You probably have to use a carrier that supports Apple's back end stuff (like visual voicemail) and the carrier must know that you're using an iPhone.

I don't think that's right. My understanding is iMessage is left out of the loop completely (which is why it is appealing to me), and it actually uses your device to send and receive the MMS/SMS. There is no carrier intervention at all.

But since I don't have iOS 8 installed, I can't verify if this is true or not.

 

[Ichinisan]

I don't think that's right. My understanding is iMessage is left out of the loop completely (which is why it is appealing to me), and it actually uses your device to send and receive the MMS/SMS. There is no carrier intervention at all.

But since I don't have iOS 8 installed, I can't verify if this is true or not.

I read something almost a year ago that indicated some foreign (to me) carriers have had messages synced with iCloud for a long time. Users actually see a "Messages" icon on icloud.com

 

[Eug]

I read something almost a year ago that indicated some foreign (to me) carriers have had messages synced with iCloud for a long time. Users actually see a "Messages" icon on icloud.com

You can back up SMS/MMS and iMessage to iCloud. So, if you need to restore your phone or buy a new one, you get it all back.

However, that is device based.

It doesn't make sense to me that carriers would sync to iCloud. I don't see how that benefits them in any way.

Do you have a link?

 

[Ichinisan]

You can back up SMS/MMS and iMessage to iCloud. So, if you need to restore your phone or buy a new one, you get it all back.

However, that is device based.

It doesn't make sense to me that carriers would sync to iCloud. I don't see how that benefits them in any way.

Do you have a link?

I'm just assuming. I have read somewhere that, along with iOS 8, we'll see "Messages" on icloud.com.

I can't find that bit I read a while back about some carriers having messages synched with iCloud. I was researching something else when I came across that.

 

[Eug]

The other issue with SMS/MMS syncing with iCloud done by the carrier is that it is a privacy breach.

 

[Rakehellion]

What's the point of iMessage anyway? Doesn't everyone have unlimited messaging now?

iMessage is faster, more reliable, and sends media files (especially video) in higher quality. Also, you can message from your computer.

And no, not everyone has unlimited messaging.

 

[Ichinisan]

iMessage is faster, more reliable, and sends media files (especially video) in higher quality. Also, you can message from your computer.

And no, not everyone has unlimited messaging.

Yup. I have to pay for every text message, in or out. Also, it's useful to see the "..." when someone on the other end is typing. If they allow delivery receipts, I can also tell that my recent messages have been delivered and / or seen. That was useful just yesterday when I found that my mother had accidentally enabled airplane mode.