Why is iMessge so limited?

[Cutwolf]

I get it...I have to have my caller ID set to my email address for it to sync to all my devices.

But my iPhone knows both my phone number and apple ID, and it knows what devices I have linked to the apple ID, so why can't texts to my phone number automatically sync across my devices linked to this apple ID?

Why do I have to be "that guy" who texts from his email address? Is there a technical explanation I'm missing? The way it's set up completely kills for me what was a highly anticipated feature.

 

[Daveoc64]

I get it...I have to have my caller ID set to my email address for it to sync to all my devices.

But my iPhone knows both my phone number and apple ID, and it knows what devices I have linked to the apple ID, so why can't texts to my phone number automatically sync across my devices linked to this apple ID?

Why do I have to be "that guy" who texts from his email address? Is there a technical explanation I'm missing? The way it's set up completely kills for me what was a highly anticipated feature.

It's just how Apple has implemented the feature.

Your phone number is associated with that specific device.

The problem with sharing that number with other devices is that you open up the possibility of your messages going to a device that you don't own anymore.

 

[iMule]

I've thought this one out thoroughly, but skipped past the phone number thing. However... why not associate the number with the Apple ID on the phone? It's the same with data for iPads.

I truly wish that Apple could find a way to attach numbers to apple IDs... that way, I wouldn't have to tell everyone to text my email address (which half don't know anyways). Regardless of the limitations, iMessage is somewhat flawed.

 

[kolax]

There's a number of issues with iMessage:

Apple needs to combine the phone number and email address as one entity so it doesn't matter which one someone uses to send you a message, all your devices will get it (unlike if they used your phone number, your iPad wouldn't get the iMessage).

Same should apply to sending a message from your iPad. Right now, it has to use the email ID for your iMessage account, because your phone number isn't tied to it. But if your phone number is just an ID for Apple's servers, then why not let people use it from non-cellular devices.

Apple just needs to let you remove a phone number from your iMessage account. Then, if you sell your iPhone, you just have to tell your buddies what your new phone number is, like always.

I don't understand why Apple hasn't implemented it like that. Using the phone number as an ID on non cellular devices isn't an issue, because the non cellular devices aren't sending an SMS, they are just using it as an ID.

And this is something that has to be resolved quickly, because Apple chose to combine iMessage and SMS's in one application. People who send an iMessage from their iPad to someone's iPhone will be sent your email ID, and if that person replies using their iPhone but doesn't have any 3G, it'll never get sent as an SMS so your iPhone will never receive it until they get 3G. Where as, if the phone number and email ID's were combined, the person in that scenario could reply and your iPhone would receive it as an SMS, and the rest of your devices would get it as an iMessage when that person gets 3G reception again. It is crucial, because if you don't have 3G and try to reply to someone's iMessage (even if it is to their iPhone) using their email, it'll never get sent as an SMS as a backup. This is obvious to us, but not to less tech savvy consumers. It's a huge mess...