HUGE flaw in iMessage

[neiltc13]

Someone has probably reported this already, but I've found what I think is a dealbreaker for me using iMessage on my iPhone 4.

One of my friends upgraded to iOS5 and then got an Android phone. However, when he got rid of his iPhone he didn't remove his phone number from his Apple ID for iMessage. This means that when I (or anyone else with an iPhone running iOS5) try to message him, my phone chooses to send the messages by iMessage, despite him no longer having a phone capable of receiving the messages.

I can't disable iMessage on a per-contact basis, so I can either disable iMessage completely for all of my contacts, or choose not to send him any more messages.

Has anyone else encountered this issue, and is there a way to remove your phone number from your Apple ID so that people aren't sending you messages you can't receive?

 

[GoCubsGo]

For once the thread title is actually spot on. There should be some way to alert a sender that the iMessage cannot be delivered. Were you showing the messages as delivered regardless? Since you were sending to an e-mail address and not phone number I wonder if they show as delivered. Short of the recipient receiving an e-mail with the iMessage, showing "delivered" we be wrong.

 

[mkrishnan]

There's a thread at Apple... and it looks like there are several more wrinkles to this (e.g. people who have a non-Apple cell phone and an iPad) and it seems to be a big mess.

 

[blevins321]

I don't have someone I can test this on, but wouldn't the phone revert to SMS after a set time period if the iMessage couldn't be delivered? I know it isn't ideal, because it would delay the message, but it could be a stopgap until Apple fixes it?

 

[bigjnyc]

Shouldn't it automatically detect that the message cannot go as iMessage and automatically revert to regular SMS? I thought that was the whole logic behind iMessage... That the user should not have to get involved. For example if a user is out of data range but has cellular coverage the iMessage automatically goes out as an SMS..... If Apple dropped the ball on this I'm sure there will be an update to patch this flaw.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I don't have someone I can test this on, but wouldn't the phone revert to SMS after a set time period if the iMessage couldn't be delivered? I know it isn't ideal, because it would delay the message, but it could be a stopgap until Apple fixes it?

SMS cannot be sent if the iMessage was sent to someone's e-mail. If they do send the iMessage to someone's e-mail then either they should send an actual e-mail (it would be a default action that you as the sender doesn't have to manage) or they bounce the message back. Telling me I sent an iMessage to joe@mac.com and saying it's delivered when it wasn't isn't my idea of a good system. I want them to say "user unable to receive imessages" or "delivered" and Joe gets an e-mail.

 

[neiltc13]

I didn't choose what to send the message by though - my contact has both an email address and a phone number registered in my address book and I have no idea if that email address matches his Apple ID.

 

[vebs]

They should have made imessage a standalone function in the first place.

 

[edk99]

I would imagine if he sent *you* an SMS then it would fix itself for that contact you have because it came in as an SMS and not an iMessage. Therefore switching back to SMS from iMessage. So next time you send him a text it should go SMS.

 

[GraphicsGeek]

Your friend needs to disassociate his number from his iMessage ID. You also need to send your SMS to his number and not his email address. iMessage is set up on a device basis so if he properly erased his iPhone, his number shouldnt be associated with his iPhone anymore.

 

[GoCubsGo]

^ but what happens if you send an iMessage to someone's e-mail address who doesn't have an iPhone or any iOS device?

 

[outphase]

A friend of mine used iOS 5 during the beta and downgraded back to 4.3.3. After 3 failed iMessage attempts, SMS became the default again.

 

[GoCubsGo]

A friend of mine used iOS 5 during the beta and downgraded back to 4.3.3. After 3 failed iMessage attempts, SMS became the default again.

Read the OP. He is using an e-mail address.
Now, unless you can use a standard e-mail address to send an SMS, this is just irrelevant.

 

[mkrishnan]

Read the OP. He is using an e-mail address.
Now, unless you can use a standard e-mail address to send an SMS, this is just irrelevant.

For the OP, what happens if you (I would test this but I don't think I have anyone on iOS 5 to text! ) go to their phone number in Contacts and click the send a text message (or whatever it says now) button? Does it give you an option to pick the intended destination? And does it send an iMessage anyways?

 

[Hustler]

to the above post, I tried going into my contact with someone I knew with ios5 and it says "send message". It then brings up a window that says "text message" at the top, with 2 bubbles underneath. One is a phone number, one is an email. No matter which I select, it defaults to iMessage.
This is annoying.
Brad

 

[neiltc13]

Yes the same thing happens to me. iMessage is chosen and I can't send an SMS to him unless I turn off iMessage completely.

 

[pcunite]

iMessage logic is flawed, when I'm on a wifi connection it chooses to send an iMessage to my wife's phone ... which is fine when she's on wifi too ... but when she has her data turned off it delays every message by 5 minutes!

 

[bob616]

You can remove iMessage from that person's contact by:

1. Creating a new message
2. Type the person's name in
3. Press and hold on the blue bubble of their name
4. Select the option to remove there name from your iPhone's stored iMessage database.

 

[owine]

Having a similar problem. Disconnected my old iPhone 4 and moved the number to Google Voice, but the number is still registered in iMessage with no way to unregister it. Spoke with tier 1 and 2 at AppleCare yesterday and am supposed to hear back after an engineer analyzes the issue. Not getting my hopes up though. Should have disabled iMessage before I erased the phone and transferred the number. Oh well.

 

[vebs]

You can remove iMessage from that person's contact by:

1. Creating a new message
2. Type the person's name in
3. Press and hold on the blue bubble of their name
4. Select the option to remove there name from your iPhone's stored iMessage database.

I don't get this option, screenshot of what you mean please?

 

[d0ster]

Have you tried deleting the conversation with your friend then going back and tryto send him a SMS thru your address book?

 

[MisterDisney]

Yeah, this is more operator error than a flaw.

 

[Theraker007]

Yeah, this is more operator error than a flaw.

Completely disagree. especially when apple touts itself as a company meant to simplify things for the end user.

 

[n4uaj]

When my son sends a message on his iPad I get the blue iMessage. If he uses his Droid I get the green SMS. I think the only way to make sure he gets one that I send is to send one to the SMS phone # and a copy to the .mac address If I understand this thing correctly, when he upgrades to an iPhone an I msg him from mine he may receive it on both his iPad and iPhone.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

The "HUGE flaw in iMessage" was Apple thinking that everyone would be smart enough to use it correctly.