iMessage and SMS question

[Cubytus]

Pictures sent via iMessage do not cost you the mms charge that most networks carry nor does it scale the picture down in the way an mms does!

I could say encryption too. Do I need to explain that too?

Most networks don't charge more for MMS than SMS. This is a 90's concept. However most do charge a hefty extra for data plans.

I wish there was the option to hold down and send a SMS as an iMessage and a iMessage as SMS for every message you send.

I thought it was the case already, wasn't it? That for every iMessage sent, a SMS copy was sent as well in background so as to prevent misreception if ever the recipient happens to use something else than an iPhone. But in the case you describe, basically one should always default to SMS unless absolutely and positively sure the recipient uses an iPhone.

I remember trying to send iMessages to various iPhones, and it seemed to randomly and silently fail from time to time, the reason why I am still using SMS. No time to debug while on the road.

Some people don't have a message plan. I know some people who have requested I don't ever send text messages to them because it costs them money. I don't really have a choice to turn of iMessage, otherwise they don't receive my messages.

Alternatively, those people could use Whatsapp, Kik, Facebook Messenger or other messaging services.

It's more likely for people not to have a data plan rather than no message plan.

I don't care about picture scaling, or encryption, and I have unlimited texting and plenty of data. So why would I want to put up with those stupit dots and the other drawbacks of imessage?

In which case you already answered your own question: iMessage is probably unencrypted when it comes to warantless surveillance, and if you rarely send pictures and even then don't really care about scaling, then stick to SMS/MMS! At least it works properly in fringe areas.

 

[heycal]

Of Course, why would you care about any added features?
They're bad
You don't make any sense.
If anyone sends you a video or picture its scaled down, shrinked to barely viewable and pixelated version with MMS.
So instead of being able to see an actual clean pic or video MMS will shrink it to a fraction of its data amount and serve it to you in a crappy lower quality copy of what the original one was. And in most cases if the video is too big or long it wont even send with mms.
With iMessage you will get full quality not scaled down version of anything people send to you. Also your text message will not be cut off if you pass a certain amount of characters. There is no character limitation with imesssages.
Imessages are free and that's also a big plus wether you have a text package or not. Many people out there dont and have dropped it all together. Also many use imessage on their macs, ipads, ipod touches and other devices that dont have a carrier text plan available. Those can also communicate for free internationally without paying any international text charges. Send, delivered and read receipts are also available something that regular sms doesnt offer. If it does not manage to deliver as an IM it will default to SMS after 300 seconds.
Highly encrypted and secure.
Deliver reliably and faster than regular sms or mms that many times get lost and never arrive to the recipients phone at all!

Even for consumers with unlimited texting as part of their plan, iMessage features several benefits. The fact that is automatic and fully integrated into Apple’s OS means that a lot of people who would never download a separate messaging app will use the feature, often without even realizing it.

You can add extra email so contacts can use these to reach you via iMessage; messages will all go to your phone and any linked devices, but people won’t need to know your phone number.

This also makes life easier if you’re headed overseas and plan to swap your SIM to an international one to avoid roaming fees - although you’ll have a different phone number, you’ll still receive iMessages sent to your email or Apple ID. And of course, you’ll obviously save on the cost of text messaging back home (assuming you’ve got a good deal on data use, or are using free Wi-Fi).

Small quirks, such as the ability to see if someone has read your message and at what time, and the appearance of a grey ‘thought bubble’ letting you know when someone is composing a reply, are a nice touch when carrying on a long conversation.


- Messages are sync'd between all your (Apple ecosystem) devices
- you can read/respond on your desktop or a wifi-only iDevice
- Optional read receipts (message is marked Delivered)
- Messages can be sent to email addresses instead of phone numbers, making it immune to phone number changes
- If traveling internationally, you can iMessage over wifi and not worry about international SMS charges.
Imessages will keep improving where SMS/MMS is old outdated technology that will not improve any further and will eventually be abandoned.

Well, look who got off his high horse and decided to offer up a defense of imessage after all. Good job, but you failed on two fronts: the "thought bubble" is a huge negative, not a positive, and you can not tell if someone has read your message unless they have enabled that on their end, and almost no one does.

You prefer receiving the above pixelated image or one in this quality like below?

What?? I've never received a picture with that poor quality. They all come in fine.

 

[Applejuiced]

Good job, but you failed on two fronts: the "thought bubble" is a huge negative, not a positive, and you can not tell if someone has read your message unless they have enabled that on their end, and almost no one does.

What?? I've never received a picture with that poor quality. They all come in fine.

Yeah right, keep telling yourself that pics and videos are not poor quality.
MMS pics are compressed to 100-200kb on the carriers end where the actual pic with imessage will be the full 2mb HD quality. No scaling down, compression or pixelation at all.
Also I don't have any problems with the bubble. I leave my read receipts on and most people I know do too. That its also an additional feature that sms does not have.
Many great options and features with imessage, glad its available and implemented well by Apple.

 

[Cubytus]

I leave my read receipts on and most people I know do too. That its also an additional feature that sms does not have.
Many great options and features with imessage, glad its available and implemented well by Apple.

At least it would help debug SMS transmission issues from crappy Android phones.

 

[heycal]

Yeah right, keep telling yourself that pics and videos are not poor quality.

Sorry, but you lost any credibility you had when you posted that fuzzy blurred image and claimed that's what pictures look like without imessage.

A complete lie. Pictures look fine.

I leave my read receipts on and most people I know do too.

I can think of exactly one person who has read receipt activated on his phone, and I'm sure he'll switch it off once he realizes it's on. No one in their right mind wants to telegraph to others when they read their messages.

 

[Applejuiced]

Whatever you say.
Just don't use it then, I love it and will continue taking advantage of iMessages great features.
Good day.

 

[heycal]

Whatever you say.
Just don't use it then.

I don't. Turned that nonsense off.

EDIT: coincidentally, last night I sent a picture I took to a friend. She said "wow, that picture came out great", and she was right: it looked great on my end too. No imessage needed.