Help identifying imessage contacts

[Bathplug]

Iirc in the beta there was a blue icon next to the contacts who had imessage. I don't have that icon no more for any contacts even though they have imessage.

 

[alexreich]

Your phone doesn't 'know' which of your contacts have iOS 5 installed until you send them a regular SMS, and they reply back. Once they reply back, your phone will default to sending an iMessage (assuming they have iOS 5, and iMessage enabled).

This is how it is with all contacts in iOS 5. Your iPhone doesn't 'just know'.

 

[r2shyyou]

I believe the blue bubble only appears next to the contacts' names who you have previously iMessaged with.

 

[whsbuss]

Really? I've iMessaged a few contacts using iMessage and I don't have any blue icon in their contact page.

EDIT: never mind - the blue bubble shows in iMessage for those contacts.

 

[MooneyFlyer]

Your phone doesn't 'know' which of your contacts have iOS 5 installed until you send them a regular SMS, and they reply back. Once they reply back, your phone will default to sending an iMessage (assuming they have iOS 5, and iMessage enabled).

This is how it is with all contacts in iOS 5. Your iPhone doesn't 'just know'.

If I type in a name (for their number) and wait -- it will turn blue if they have iMessage even if I have not texted them (or they have not replied). The key is that you have to wait a second. Apparently Apple is quickly querying the system and your phone can "know" pretty quickly. I don't know if this is the same for email-based addressing.

The icon that shows up in the contact list seems to only appear after having successfully communicated though.

 

[josielinnea]

One thing that I have noted AFTER going to GM-iOS5 is that if you're not from the US, contacts are not automatically identified as iMessage-compatable if you are using their phone number to send the text. I found this:
Settings -> Messages -> Receive on (or whatever it's called, I don't have mine set to English) -> click on "Apple-ID: xxxx@xxx.com"-field -> Change location -> Set this to your country.

This now makes my contacts show up as blue when they have an iOS5-device Country was originally set to USA.

 

[saving107]

Really? I've iMessaged a few contacts using iMessage and I don't have any blue icon in their contact page.

The app is called Messages (SMS/MMS), when you initiate a text, as you're typing your message your device will detect if the person you are sending the text to has an iDevice on iOS 5, if it does the green send button will change to a blue button (indicating that your message will be sent as an iMessage).

 

[alexreich]

If I type in a name (for their number) and wait -- it will turn blue if they have iMessage even if I have not texted them (or they have not replied). The key is that you have to wait a second. Apparently Apple is quickly querying the system and your phone can "know" pretty quickly. I don't know if this is the same for email-based addressing.

The icon that shows up in the contact list seems to only appear after having successfully communicated though

Exactly, even helped me understand it a bit better. Thanks!