Another MMS question, but this one is different - REALLY

[neo64]

First off, I'm using an iPhone 15 Pro with the latest iOS (not Beta). The other devices in the "loop" are an Apple Watch Series 8 without cellular activated (latest WatchOS) and a MacBook Air M3 running Sequoia 15.1

I have a group text using MMS, as there are still some less fortunate users out there using Androids. The group has been running along great for years. Recently had to make a new group to remove a couple of people and add others. Deleted the original group thread.

Current behaviors:
MacBook sees everything as it should in the thread. Everybody sees everybody else's messages as well. Send and receive perfectly. Apple Watch shows the same, normal behavior. I can read other's messages and responses and can send messages without issue to the group - all of which receive them just fine. iPhone can typically see one message and one message only. For instance, a day or two goes by without any new messages in the group, then someone sends a message. It shows up on all my devices. I can reply on any of my devices and the group will get it. BUT I can only see my response and any future responses on my watch and MacBook. Not on the iPhone. The iPhone only shows the one message that came though. This is the most common behavior. Once in a great while, the thread seems to run normally. AND I can always scroll back through all the messages that DID come through on the iPhone and read them (going back weeks) regardless of the current message hiccup. The list will be spotty, because only some of the responses ever came through - as described above. In every single case, I can see ALL messages on my Watch and MacBook as though everything is functioning at 100%.

I have reset network settings (on each device), restarted each device, unpaired and repaired each device, signed out of and into iCloud on each device, made sure I had the latest OS on each device, and turned every setting I can find relating to messaging off and back on on each device.

I am stumped. I'm pretty sure it's not a carrier issue, since the messages work perfectly on the other devices, which actually only get the messages from the iPhone when they sync with it. It all started with deleting the old group and rebuilding a new one from scratch. Scratchin' my Head!!!

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I’ve given up on mixed groups. Even our family group excludes our Android son in favor of his iPhone wife.

GroupMe or Discord or WhatsApp or Slack is an option, if people will join it.

 

[neo64]

I think I am about to the use an alternate app point - however there are several "non-tech" people (Is that gentle enough?) in the group, and the likelihood that they will use another app is very small.

There is one nuclear option I haven't tried. I could delete the group AND delete each of the group members altogether from any and all contacts. Perhaps rebuilding them manually as the texts come in. My wife is in the group, so she would have the info handy. Not sure why I haven't considered this yet...??

I will post an update after trying that...

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I will post an update after trying that...

The behavior you're seeing, though, is NORMAL for a mixed group. Deleting & re-creating won't "Solve" the issue, though it might kick the can down the road a little further.

The problem with a mixed group is - THERE IS NO GROUP. It's an illusion. You're sending a message to a bunch of different people... and if each of them just Replies to the message, then THEIR message gets sent to all the same people. So most of the time, everyone gets everything.

But there are no guarantees. Someone might add a new person on their reply... someone might remove a person... and there's no "Control" over that and no notification when it happens. "Groups" of this type get splintered and fractured all the time, for any (or no) reason.

Which is why, as I said - I've given up on them. If you have iMessage, I'll consider being in a group with you. If you don't, I won't.