Group messaging on current android phones

[aznguyen316]

I tried switching from a 4s to galaxy s3 (and Razr M both rooted flashed to jelly bean then) last year but couldn't stick with it due to iMessage and how android handles group texting so now im om the iP5. The mms conversion each time lagged the crap out of the phone, especially when sending and receiving a lot at a time like 1 MSG every 2-3 seconds which iMessage handles with ease.

Anyway I wanted to know if the current generation of android software or hardware now is capable of handling group messaging in a smoother, seamless manner. No weird lag from converting every message to mms kind of stuff. I don't mind the mms conversion, but it was just the lag - even on the current android flagship phone at the time. I had previously tried handscent and gosmspro, but both acted the same way super lag on active groups. I hear a newer app called textra is pretty good. Nearly everyone I text is on iMessage so if I switch, texting is a big thing and I want to make sure it works well and fast.

I know there are third party chat room clients but I already use groupme for the "chat room" passive chats, however I want to use texting as my method to communicate important messages in a grouped manner using phone numbers.

I appreciate any feedback, the only android phone I'm considering is the Moto X of that helps. It really has marketed well to iphone users and has me really intrigued by the size, speed and features. Thanks!

 

[JH-]

On my nexus 5 it works just fine. No lag using stock hangouts application.

 

[mattopotamus]

https://forums.macrumors.com/posts/18401930/

it still does have that weird lag when converting a MMS over.

 

[aznguyen316]

Thanks Matt hangouts update looks good. Is it just an initial lag when starting a group chat up or is it every time a message comes in and thus needs to be converted to mms to be grouped?

 

[mattopotamus]

Thanks Matt hangouts update looks good. Is it just an initial lag when starting a group chat up or is it every time a message comes in and thus needs to be converted to mms to be grouped?

I actually only notice the lag when I am the one sending the message. It just takes a second for my phone to convert it. It also depends on if you are pulling a photo from your phone storage or some other place like dropbox or google+. The locally stored photos don't tend to lag....it is mostly the ones from a site, which makes sense.

 

[aznguyen316]

I actually only notice the lag when I am the one sending the message. It just takes a second for my phone to convert it. It also depends on if you are pulling a photo from your phone storage or some other place like dropbox or google+. The locally stored photos don't tend to lag....it is mostly the ones from a site, which makes sense.

So you're only talking about actually sending a picture mms? Thats okay with me. I was thinking that when you send an sms group message, the phone has to convert the message (even without pictures) to mms format in order to send as a group message. Thats how handcent and gosmspro worked for me before. In hangouts, is this conversion not necessary to send group texts via sms?

I just want to clarify I am interested in sms/mms group messaging, not like hangout g+ chats or whatsapp. Purely sending sms to a group thread all via a phone number. Wondering if this lags because it needs to convert all sms in a group thread to mms before sending. Thanks.

 

[mattopotamus]

So you're only talking about actually sending a picture mms? Thats okay with me. I was thinking that when you send an sms group message, the phone has to convert the message (even without pictures) to mms format in order to send as a group message. Thats how handcent and gosmspro worked for me before. In hangouts, is this conversion not necessary to send group texts via sms?

I just want to clarify I am interested in sms/mms group messaging, not like hangout g+ chats or whatsapp. Purely sending sms to a group thread all via a phone number. Wondering if this lags because it needs to convert all sms in a group thread to mms before sending. Thanks.

It still converts the message to MMS when doing a group convo, but the time lapse only occurs with pictures. I just looked and all of my group messages are I'm fact MMS

 

[Technarchy]

I recommend Hangouts. The hardest part is getting people to use it, but otherwise it works great.

 

[mattopotamus]

I recommend Hangouts. The hardest part is getting people to use it, but otherwise it works great.

thank goodness it is cross platform. I know a lot of people complain about sms and actual hangout chats being separate, but I am glad they did this. We use hangouts at work and I wouldn't want to be texting people I mean to g-chat.

 

[animalx]

Group texts work fine....texts come in like any other text (except they'll be in a group).

Side Note: Group texts in principle suck, as you cannot even do something as simple as remove yourself from them (this is true across the board on both iPhone and Android).