Phones Families with both Apple and Android?

[hallux]

convince the other person to use Google Messages as their default SMS app

I'll have to check on this. My sister has a Samsung phone and is definitely using RCS in our text thread now. I don't know what messaging app she's using though, I'm on a Pixel using Google's Messages app. I DO know we're on different carriers, she's on Verizon while I'm on Fi so I know the cross-carrier functionality is there..

 

[ian87w]

You can send full size images in WhatsApp by clicking the paperclip and adding the picture as a document. It's straight forward but that doesn't stop you receiving pics compressed if the aforementioned process isn't used.

That’s not quite straightforward as people now has to deal with the file manager and send photos as “documents”, and they cannot see the thumbnail of the photo. I tried it, and I had to walkthrough every single person in the group, and that only lasts for that session. People go back to picking the photos directly as photos the next time, since thats the most obvious method. I blame WhatsApp completely for not allowing a simple toggle to send full res photo (wechat has this simple toggle to send full size).

 

[GoldfishRT]

My whole family uses iOS but that's not what makes me feel stuck. It's that my team at work all uses iPhones (as of March of last year) and I don't want to miss out on the funny group memes. I think I would happily switch back otherwise since it doesn't make a huge difference to me either way and I'm always happy to save a buck.

 

[Geoff777]

Telegram is great for file sharing..... just sent a 1Gb 4k video clip, no issues whatsoever..... don't think WhatsApp can do that?

 

[spinedoc77]

Wait you're concerned about privacy but the message is going to a Google (Android) phone... Privacy is gone once that message hits the phone. As to quality most photos sent in a text are silly unimportant ones that a at best will be viewed on a 8" screen. If you have a bunch of photos from an event or maybe an important photo don't use text.

#2 is the main reason why those apps aren't more popular. Not only do you have to get them to use the app but you also have to get whatever user name they have. I think Facebook is the closest to getting large scale adoption so they have messenger but I'm not sure how photos are handled.


I just never felt the need to get them to use a special messaging app or a limitation with communicating with any of my Android friends. I have several that I text on a daily basis and never found myself sitting on my couch thinking "I wish that photo wasn't sent using the outdated MMS format". I get the photo or text and reply back.

Yep I fully acknowledge I've given up privacy, I have taken as many safe guards as possible but I doubt they will matter much. Can't wait to get back to Apple when they do a foldable screen, but who knows how long that will be.

I HIGHLY disagree that "most photos sent in a text are silly unimportant ones that a at best will be viewed on a 8" screen" . Many consumers use their phones as their only device, especially in other countries. Heck even here in the US my parents only have iPhones, and good luck trying to explain to them anything remotely technical, they can barely even text message. What about the times I only have my phone on me and I'd like to view it right away, and yes you can CLEARLY see the difference between a MMS video and a full size video even on a phone screen. To illustrate my point even more, most of the time if it's a picture of my family I would like to save that picture to maybe view and/or edit on a larger screen and that just multiplies how awful it looks.

There are work arounds such as picture links and email, but they are cumbersome and often fail because of the limitation of technical knowledge your regular joe possesses or just technical issues with platforms not meshing well. I applaud you on finding a decades old technology like MMS fits your needs, but that's not what I'm finding at all and do need high quality pictures/videos.

 

[spinedoc77]

It's not just Android to Android per se, but RCS depends on the messaging app, and the carrier support. So not only you need to convince the other person to use Google Messages as their default SMS app, you need to check if their carriers even support it universally (instead of just within the same carrier). It's a headache. Imo Apple did it right by taking it completely first party. When one buys an iPhone, one can know iMessage works on it. When one buys an Android phone, one has to guess whether RCS support is possible.

The only fault Apple did was not making iMessage client for non iOS platforms. Apple wants the iMessage experience to be just like SMS, with no new thing to learn. "It just works." Maybe they should make their own SMS app with iMessage support for Android.

No disagreement there, RCS is a huge pain IMO. I've tried to get it to work on Google messaging and I haven't been successful, and I don't even want to use Google messaging, but forget about getting it to work on Samsung messaging.

 

[spinedoc77]

That’s not quite straightforward as people now has to deal with the file manager and send photos as “documents”, and they cannot see the thumbnail of the photo. I tried it, and I had to walkthrough every single person in the group, and that only lasts for that session. People go back to picking the photos directly as photos the next time, since thats the most obvious method. I blame WhatsApp completely for not allowing a simple toggle to send full res photo (wechat has this simple toggle to send full size).

These technical work arounds and limitations are an issue for sure. My parents can barely use built in text messaging as it is, now I have to explain to them how to open an email and download a file, or how to go to a file sharing link, etc.

 

[Vegastouch]

I have a Pixel, my Wife has a Samsung S10, Son has a Huawei and Daughter has an iPhone. No issues comunicating at all.
Ive asked my Daughter about iMessage and us texting her and she just shrugged and said....its not a big deal so i dont get what some insist that iMessage is some sort of must have but i have never used it.

We also still use Hangouts (Us Android users)

 

[Ludatyk]

its not a big deal so i dont get what some insist that iMessage is some sort of must have but i have never used it.

It's all a matter of preference.

I know for me, iMessage is entrenched among my family therefore it's no avoiding it. I use Android... I like the versatility it provides over the iPhone. And using cellular iPad helps me stay attached with iMessage. It's a win-win for me.

 

[verito81]

No disagreement there, RCS is a huge pain IMO. I've tried to get it to work on Google messaging and I haven't been successful, and I don't even want to use Google messaging, but forget about getting it to work on Samsung messaging.

my Samsung S8 is working Rcs perfectly
fine

 

[spinedoc77]

my Samsung S8 is working Rcs perfectly
fine

Yep only a few Samsung phones support RCS on Samsung Messenger. On my Fold 2 there is no option to enable it.

 

[iosandstuff]

Telegram is great for file sharing..... just sent a 1Gb 4k video clip, no issues whatsoever..... don't think WhatsApp can do that?

Not really , would take too long for that file to load..