Use feature phone and keep iMessage?

[rocketbuc]

Hi guys

I am thinking about replacing my iPhone 6 (still rocking and liking it but with severe touch disease now) with a Punkt MP02 (feature phone that can create 4G hotspot, https://www.punkt.ch/en/products/mp02-4g-mobile-phone/ ). My idea is to use the Punkt on the go and sync up with email and iMessages from time to time by connecting to the internet with my iPad or MacBook.

A main issue is that I am communicating via iMessage with most of my contacts and don't use any other messengers (WhatsApp or Signal). I will remain linked to the Apple ecosystem and iMessage with my iPad and MacBook Pro.

Is there a way to keep my mobile phone number associated with iMessage but receive the messages on my other devices instead? Will the link to my phone number immediately be ditched once I am running the SIM in the feature phone?
In the early days of the iPhone I started using iMessage from the my iPad but nowadays everybody writes iMessages to my mobile number.

Thank you for your help and advise!

 

[Minerbot360]

Unfortunately, as of what I know, iMessage is a non-standard protocol that can only be sent and received by iOS, iPadOS, and macOS devices. Also, when someone sends an iMessage to your mobile number, your mobile number is only being used as an identifier to you, not as the method of transmission. Without an Apple device linked to your sim, I don't think that you will be able to keep the link.

Apple is being Apple, and made a nonstandard communication protocol that people worship.

 

[Expos of 1969]

Apple is being Apple, and made a nonstandard communication protocol that people worship.

some people

 

[velocityg4]

I'm not big on iMessage. I'm not sure what you'd be missing by not having it. I had no problem moving to Android. I was still able to send and receive text messages and pictures with iPhone users.

I've found no way to keep them in sync. It's more like import and export only. Nothing like you're looking for.

 

[rocketbuc]

Unfortunately, as of what I know, iMessage is a non-standard protocol that can only be sent and received by iOS, iPadOS, and macOS devices. Also, when someone sends an iMessage to your mobile number, your mobile number is only being used as an identifier to you, not as the method of transmission. Without an Apple device linked to your sim, I don't think that you will be able to keep the link.

Apple is being Apple, and made a nonstandard communication protocol that people worship.

Thank you Minerbot360. I would not want to receive iMessages on the the Punkt phone but receive them on my iOS and macOS devices.

My problem is: How can I keep my phone number as identifier but handle the messages on my idevices?
Have been looking into MultiSIM (based in Switzerland) but my current phone plan does not allow more than 1 SIM card. So I can't keep the iPhone running AND set up a feature phone with the same number.

 

[velocityg4]

Thank you Minerbot360. I would not want to receive iMessages on the the Punkt phone but receive them on my iOS and macOS devices.

My problem is: How can I keep my phone number as identifier but handle the messages on my idevices?
Have been looking into MultiSIM (based in Switzerland) but my current phone plan does not allow more than 1 SIM card. So I can't keep the iPhone running AND set up a feature phone with the same number.

Are you just trying to get phone calls on the Punkt then? As you don't want iMessages on it.

Does your plan allow automatic call forwarding? If so you could get a new number for the Punkt and have the iPhone number forward incoming calls to the Punkt number.

 

[ian87w]

Hi guys

I am thinking about replacing my iPhone 6 (still rocking and liking it but with severe touch disease now) with a Punkt MP02 (feature phone that can create 4G hotspot, https://www.punkt.ch/en/products/mp02-4g-mobile-phone/ ). My idea is to use the Punkt on the go and sync up with email and iMessages from time to time by connecting to the internet with my iPad or MacBook.

A main issue is that I am communicating via iMessage with most of my contacts and don't use any other messengers (WhatsApp or Signal). I will remain linked to the Apple ecosystem and iMessage with my iPad and MacBook Pro.

Is there a way to keep my mobile phone number associated with iMessage but receive the messages on my other devices instead? Will the link to my phone number immediately be ditched once I am running the SIM in the feature phone?
In the early days of the iPhone I started using iMessage from the my iPad but nowadays everybody writes iMessages to my mobile number.

Thank you for your help and advise!

You can continue using iMessage when you disconnect your phone number from it. iMessage works with email as well. In Settings, Messages, Send & Receive, you can set iMessage to use your email. Set the "start new conversation" from your email instead .

The tricky part maybe in dissociating your phone number from iMessage. You probably have to turn it off on your iphone first, put your SIM into your new phone, and test to make sure regular texts to your number are delivered to your new phone. Then you can continue using iMessage from your iPad.

 

[Minerbot360]

Thank you Minerbot360. I would not want to receive iMessages on the the Punkt phone but receive them on my iOS and macOS devices.

My problem is: How can I keep my phone number as identifier but handle the messages on my idevices?
Have been looking into MultiSIM (based in Switzerland) but my current phone plan does not allow more than 1 SIM card. So I can't keep the iPhone running AND set up a feature phone with the same number.

Unfortunately, in the US where I live, I don't know of a way to do this.

 

[rocketbuc]

You can continue using iMessage when you disconnect your phone number from it. iMessage works with email as well. In Settings, Messages, Send & Receive, you can set iMessage to use your email. Set the "start new conversation" from your email instead .

The tricky part maybe in dissociating your phone number from iMessage. You probably have to turn it off on your iphone first, put your SIM into your new phone, and test to make sure regular texts to your number are delivered to your new phone. Then you can continue using iMessage from your iPad.

I am aware of that functionality and have used it for years with my iPad before I had an iPhone. Worked great but now everybody is reaching me via iMessage on my mobile phone number. Most of my contacts and family are on iMessage so moving away with no possibility to receive iMessage on my phone number is almost not an option.

I did search online but could not find any document that states how the association with the phone number works and under which conditions the link is removed again.

 

[rocketbuc]

Are you just trying to get phone calls on the Punkt then? As you don't want iMessages on it.

Does your plan allow automatic call forwarding? If so you could get a new number for the Punkt and have the iPhone number forward incoming calls to the Punkt number.

Call forwarding is an interesting option and should work. The only problem is that whenever I am calling people, of course, I'd like it to show my initial number and not the secondary of the Punkt.

Tricky situation, I know...

 

[Ludatyk]

I am thinking about replacing my iPhone 6 (still rocking and liking it but with severe touch disease now) with a Punkt MP02 (feature phone that can create 4G hotspot, https://www.punkt.ch/en/products/mp02-4g-mobile-phone/ ). My idea is to use the Punkt on the go and sync up with email and iMessages from time to time by connecting to the internet with my iPad or MacBook.

Umm.. that's what I do.

I have a cellular iPad that I use with iMessage and use Android as my phone, I like all the features that comes with Samsung Galaxy phones. And it's like the best of both worlds for me, I can stay in the Apple ecosystem (iMessage, iCloud and App Store) with the iPad... on the go with cellular connectivity.

Tech enthusiasts like carrying around iPhone and Android phone, I carry around an iPad and Android.

 

[rocketbuc]

Umm.. that's what I do.

I have a cellular iPad that I use with iMessage and use Android as my phone, I like all the features that comes with Samsung Galaxy phones. And it's like the best of both worlds for me, I can stay in the Apple ecosystem (iMessage, iCloud and App Store) with the iPad... on the go with cellular connectivity.

Tech enthusiasts like carrying around iPhone and Android phone, I carry around an iPad and Android.

My iPad actually is a cellular model. Do you have the same number on both SIM cards? Do people write iMessages to the number in the Android phone and it reaches your iPad?

 

[Ludatyk]

My iPad actually is a cellular model. Do you have the same number on both SIM cards? Do people write iMessages to the number in the Android phone and it reaches your iPad?

Nah, different numbers.. I don’t share the same number on both SIM cards. And when people reach out to me on iMessage it goes directly to my iPad, I don’t receive iMessages on the Android phone. I’ve tried the experience before.. using AirMessage and some other hacks that allow users to receive iMessage on Android.

But the experience is not the same… some iMessage features can’t really be duplicated for Android, I decided to give up on that. You’ll need a Mac in order to have the hack run as a server.. if you want the ability to have iMessage on Android. But I do have a Google Voice account… if you want the ability to have a number shared across both devices, that might work for you.

 

[RedRage]

I don't see the big deal with iMessage. Someone down the line decided it was "cool" if you had blue bubbles and now there are people that refuse to switch because of a blue bubble on a text message

 

[Ludatyk]

I don't see the big deal with iMessage. Someone down the line decided it was "cool" if you had blue bubbles and now there are people that refuse to switch because of a blue bubble on a text message

It's one of those things where if your social circle doesn't use iMessage then.. of course, it's no big deal. But it's like being amongst your friends and they make a joke, but it flies over your head. If you don't feel apart of the joke.. there's a feeling of being left out.

 

[RedRage]

It's one of those things where if your social circle doesn't use iMessage then.. of course, it's no big deal. But it's like being amongst your friends and they make a joke, but it flies over your head. If you don't feel apart of the joke.. there's a feeling of being left out.

Yeah, I get it. But after a joke here and there everyone pretty much forgets about it lol

My nieces boyfriend has a Samsung and we teased him at first, but now no one cares. I think at the end of the day most people won't care.

 

[ian87w]

but now everybody is reaching me via iMessage on my mobile phone number.

Maybe you can just start a new conversation from your end using your iPad. Most people probably will just continue conversing from that thread, thus making them replying to your email based iMessage.

 

[rocketbuc]

I don't see the big deal with iMessage. Someone down the line decided it was "cool" if you had blue bubbles and now there are people that refuse to switch because of a blue bubble on a text message

The color of the bubbles is least of my worries. I have a large network of contacts for business and personal (in my home country and abroad) that I stay in contact via iMessage. SMS does not (really) allow to share pictures and documents as simply as iMessage does. Because of my iPad and MacBook I rarely respond to messages on my phone but also with a real or on-screen keyboard. Through iCloud all conversations are in sync.

I purposely do not use WhatsApp (even though it is SUPER popular in Europe) for data privacy reasons.

I hope this explains the idea to get a feature phone just for calls but somehow retain the iMessage feature (using my cell phone number).

 

[RedRage]

The color of the bubbles is least of my worries. I have a large network of contacts for business and personal (in my home country and abroad) that I stay in contact via iMessage. SMS does not (really) allow to share pictures and documents as simply as iMessage does. Because of my iPad and MacBook I rarely respond to messages on my phone but also with a real or on-screen keyboard. Through iCloud all conversations are in sync.

I purposely do not use WhatsApp (even though it is SUPER popular in Europe) for data privacy reasons.

I hope this explains the idea to get a feature phone just for calls but somehow retain the iMessage feature (using my cell phone number).

Apple could release an app for iMessage on Android but they won't because they would lose a lot of people.

 

[spinedoc77]

I don't see the big deal with iMessage. Someone down the line decided it was "cool" if you had blue bubbles and now there are people that refuse to switch because of a blue bubble on a text message

I don't think anyone (outside of high school) cares about the blue bubble. It's the other things that are neutered like sending pictures/videos, and group messaging is hit or miss. It's one of the reasons I had to give up my Fold 3 and go back to an iPhone, every single friend/family/work associate I have is on an iPhone.

 

[ian87w]

Apple could release an app for iMessage on Android but they won't because they would lose a lot of people.

Imo Apple already missed the golden window of opportunity. It was during the beginning of whatsapp announcing their ToS changes. Apple should've come in with iMessage on Android, and charge a small amount of money for it. People who already have iPhones would be too lazy to "pay" for something that's already free on iPhone, while privacy conscious Android users would be willing to pay a small amount to have iMessage on their current phone. But that window is already closed now.

 

[rocketbuc]

Thank you for inputs and ideas!

I am waiting to see what Apple is announcing next week and will then decide what to do. Beside upgrading to iPhone 13 and staying fully in the ecosystem, I am also thinking about buying an older iPhone (I'm a light user) and tweak that to essentially be almost like a feature phone. The benefits of that would be that I could still use navigation, e-mail and search if I ever run into trouble while traveling or on the road.