What is the point of iMessage?

[techiegirl]

1) I'm saving $15/month by reducing from an unlimited text to a 250 text plan.

2) I can now message my kids, who previously had texting blocked.

3) When somebody imessages me, I receive the messages on both my iPhone and iPad.

 

[Icy1007]

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I have an unlimited family texting plan, so the only benefit I see is being able to text my mom on her iPad.

 

[callison]

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I have an unlimited family texting plan, so the only benefit I see is being able to text my mom on her iPad.

This is exactly my current only use of iMessage. I think it has potential, however, to develop further and become a standard in messaging.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Privacy is another issue. iMessage numbers won't show up on your bill. Now I don't have worry about the DEA tapping my messages when I sell dope straight off the iPhone.

 

[iMaven]

so, blue bubbles for iMessage and green bubbles for Text message?

 

[sviato]

It doesn't really make a difference for me, I've 'iMessaged' a few of my friends and it's pretty much like regular messages. I already have an unlimited texting plan because I text a lot and not everyone has iPhones.

It's missing a lot of features that can make it great.

 

[robby818]

After 24 hours use, iMessage feels a little different than regular text messaging in subtle ways. Messages seem to go to one another much faster than regular texting, even across carriers the conversation feels more like a conversation. The "..." you see when the other person is typing helps convey this feeling.

I will continue to use Google Voice as my preferred texting method. It's not as slick looking as Messages, but I really like google voice bec. text messages get sent to my gmail and i am usually in front of a computer so i can respond to texts from gmail. One downside to GV is that you cant send pictures. Now, I can at least use iMessage for pictures, although just to other iOS5 users.

 

[tj2001]

Not a stab at carriers...

I honestly think it was an amazing feature to implement! Carriers have been crying fowl to data usage on their networks and although text messages use minute blocks individually, I am willing to bet text messaging as a whole (billions daily...?) use a good chunk of data.

Enter iMessage which can now unload some of that traffic on the carrier's data usage and iMessage is a smart tool. Once again Apple innovates and evolves technology

 

[Beachball8]

Whether u have unlimited traditional SMS allowance or not, you still have to pay for INTERNATIONAL sms's. Its completely freen wirh iMessages.

 

[elfy]

It's clearly a great feature, although it doesn't make much difference to me because I don't text that much anyway, probably around a hundred or so a month. The international thing helps, of course.

 

[marksman]

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iMessage is much faster and is basically a chat client between iOS devices.

Texting is a ridiculous cash cow for cellphone providers and any thing to bring that down is a plus in my book.

Now if they can only integrate it into iChat.

All of this. It is faster, more reliable more robust. Now I just need a desktop client to work in and it will be perfect.

It has instantly replaced all my Im stuff and 95% of my texting

Apparently it can be encrypted as well for security minded people. I am amazed how fast it is though and knowing a message is delivered or that someone is typing to you while common Im features big improvements over SMS

 

[gameboy213]

I'm a fan of it. I came to iPhone from BB and one of the things I missed was bbm. Delivery and read receipts are important to me for text messages, so this is perfect.

 

[slsanity]

I'm in China and haven't been able to text with friends or family, now if I'm on wifi I can text with anyone else on iOS 5 for free, it's awesome.