Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Other how popular is iMessage in your home country?

RedRage said:
Here in the States we use iMessage because it was the default messaging app when we bought our iPhones. And we Americans are too lazy to explore options that may be better.
Click to expand...
Define better.

- better than Whatsapp as facebook owns it.
- Signal is "better" than whatsapp but who is to say Signal is better than imessage
- etc.

So yeah, I'm lazy because:
1. most of my family (40+ family members) is on imessage (with a few android holdouts)
2. imessage just works.
 
I7guy said:
Define better.

- better than Whatsapp as facebook owns it.
- Signal is "better" than whatsapp but who is to say Signal is better than imessage
- etc.

So yeah, I'm lazy because:
1. most of my family (40+ family members) is on imessage (with a few android holdouts)
2. imessage just works.
Click to expand...

If people had explored other options back when it first came out then maybe people would be using other apps in the states. People don’t even realize there are other options. They just default to iMessage because it’s the default message app on the iPhone. Ask 10 Americans on the street and see their responses.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sydneysider88 and Barbareren
Nobody uses iMessage here (Colombia), not even when iPhones are incredibly common. It's all about WhatsApp.
 
Last edited:
RedRage said:
If people had explored other options back when it first came out then maybe people would be using other apps in the states. People don’t even realize there are other options. They just default to iMessage because it’s the default message app on the iPhone. Ask 10 Americans on the street and see their responses.
Click to expand...
They didn’t have to because sms was unlimited unlike in Europe.
 
In Spain everybody uses Whatsapp, not many people use iMessage...
Telegram is getting very popular as well, but more used like a forum for groups of people with common hobbies.
 
RedRage said:
If people had explored other options back when it first came out then maybe people would be using other apps in the states. People don’t even realize there are other options. They just default to iMessage because it’s the default message app on the iPhone. Ask 10 Americans on the street and see their responses.
Click to expand...
Because iMessage is also very good? What wound but the reason one would move to a different platform? I don’t see a reason other than my friends/family/associates.
 
UK here. No one uses it. Its all WhatsApp.

Surprised iMessage is popular in the US since its not open platform. Personally I think Apple should just open it up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pilotpat
I7guy said:
Because iMessage is also very good? What wound but the reason one would move to a different platform? I don’t see a reason other than my friends/family/associates.
Click to expand...

iMessage is good but so is WhatsApp and the interface for group messaging on WhatsApp is so much better in my view. I use both platforms and both have benefits over the other for different uses.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sydneysider88 and Shanghaichica
The-Real-Deal82 said:
iMessage is good but so is WhatsApp and the interface for group messaging on WhatsApp is so much better in my view. I use both platforms and both have benefits over the other for different uses.
Click to expand...
I use whatsapp, signal and imessage. I had installed whatsapp a few years ago, but then deregistered and deinstalled it when facebook bought it. I since reinstalled it for two people both who are on iphones and am again contemplating deletion. But 95% of my messaging is on imessage.
 
circatee said:
I am English, but now live in America. iMessage is the go to here. However, when communicating with friends and family in the UK, it is a mixed bag. It appears that the carrier EE, seems to charge for international iMessage use. So, I was virtually forced to use WhatsApp for some America to UK conversations.

PS: Not happy about it at all...
Click to expand...
You might be chatting with a non iPhone user. Are the bubbles green or blue? If they're green, that means you're sending a regular SMS, where international charges will apply.

What is the difference between iMessage, RCS, and SMS/MMS? - Apple Support

Learn why some of your message bubbles are blue or green.
support.apple.com support.apple.com
 
eyoungren said:
I'm in the US, so you know the story already.

I use iMessage to communicate with friends outside the US. They have iPhones, I don't have WhatsApp, so it works.
Click to expand...

Same. I use it to talk to friends in the Netherlands, Japan, Norway, and Germany but it just crossed my mind that I never asked them if they commonly use it for talking to other people.
 
  • Like
Reactions: eyoungren
MisterSavage said:
Same. I use it to talk to friends in the Netherlands, Japan, Norway, and Germany but it just crossed my mind that I never asked them if they commonly use it for talking to other people.
Click to expand...
Yeah, had I not known the people I texted with already had iPhones I might have asked (and then been using WhatsApp). Hasn't seemed to be a problem (yet) though.
 
The-Real-Deal82 said:
In most countries there is unlimited SMS but that doesn’t stop messaging apps like WhatsApp still being popular. It’s more down to interface preferences and the fact it’s cheaper to share media via WhatsApp cross platform I think.
Click to expand...
I have unlimited texts but I get charged 55p for every video or picture or even web link I send via SMS to a non iPhone user. On WhatsApp it’s free.
 
  • Like
Reactions: The-Real-Deal82
circatee said:
It is an iOS device. And, when we did chat via iMessage, items were 'Blue'.
Click to expand...
If the bubbles were blue, the carrier had nothing to do with the messaging process, they I don't think even would know who or where you were sending a message to as imessages are encrypted to apple servers., so not sure what could be up.
 
iMacDragon said:
Ah, I guess that could be it, but I think the bubbles would still show green after being sent then wouldn't they?
Click to expand...
Not sure about that. I don't really use iMessage. But maybe you can disable that just in case. Also, did you get a breakdown on the SMS charges on your bill? That might give you a hint on which ones got charged.
 
ian87w said:
Not sure about that. I don't really use iMessage. But maybe you can disable that just in case. Also, did you get a breakdown on the SMS charges on your bill? That might give you a hint on which ones got charged.
Click to expand...
Wasn't me with the issue, was just chipping in on it!, but yes, SMS being chargeable is for me reason that I only use messages app to the one person I know here that has an iphone.. all rest of family is on android, so whatsapp.
 
iMacDragon said:
Wasn't me with the issue, was just chipping in on it!, but yes, SMS being chargeable is for me reason that I only use messages app to the one person I know here that has an iphone.. all rest of family is on android, so whatsapp.
Click to expand...
Whoops, you're right. It was @circatee . I was just replying without looking... :D
 
I've been in Germany for 20 months, and most of the people I know have iPhones, but everyone prefers WhatsApp. Not really sure why. I always fancied America and Americans using iMessage over everything, and hoping that more people start to use it here.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: iDaniel88
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back