[Inkblot]

I'm on 3, my wife's on Vodafone, but our iPhones automatically use iMessage (the message displays in a blue background). Sometimes one of us will send the other a message and the other won't receive it for maybe five minutes, sometimes much longer, and we'll be wondering why we didn't get a reply.

Is this a "feature" of iMessage? Is there a better way to send instant messages, a better app or whatever? Or do we have to revert to making phone calls?

[corf]

Its always been instant for me.

Thats said, my family have pretty much switched to Whats App due to the fact it can be used on IOS and Android.

[Inkblot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by corf

Its always been instant for me.

Thats said, my family have pretty much switched to Whats App due to the fact it can be used on IOS and Android.

It's always in roughly the same location, we both have a good 3G or 4G signal, we are trying to meet up but one of us doesn't get the message to say where the other one is.

[BKM]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inkblot

It's always in roughly the same location, we both have a good 3G or 4G signal, we are trying to meet up but one of us doesn't get the message to say where the other one is.

iMessage should be far better than SMS as messages get marked as "delivered" - so you know they have been! If "read receipts" (in the Phone settings) is on the time the recipient reads the message is also returned to the sender.

It does sound that you could be in an area with limited network coverage. If so tap-and-hold on the message should bring up a menu to "send as SMS"

[jchamier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inkblot

Is this a "feature" of iMessage?

No its not a feature. However you are on Vodafone so if you have a GPRS or E signal then its possible the messages will not send or receive until you have 3G or 4G signal. On Three they only have 3G and 4G signal.

Lots of people on Vodafone in 2012/2013 gave up with iMessage and WhatsApp because Vodafone data was so poor they did not work. Vodafone has been improving massively in the last 2 years.

If you are in an older area you may find you need WiFi to send/receive iMessage reliably.

[Randomguy1]

You can switch it off in the menu. I've had problems with people sometimes not receiving at all. I don't see the point in it other than go send picture messages or have group conversations as most people have unlimited texts anyway.

[nigelbb]

I have iMessage switched off as it's too confusing with some texts sent as proper texts & some as iMessage depending on the recipient. It's pointless & if I want to send images etc I can use WhatsApp.

[Heanor_Man31]

You could always press and hold the iMessage and force it to send as an SMS too (if the message is really urgent but you're unable to make a phone call)?

[BKM]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heanor_Man31

You could always press and hold the iMessage and force it to send as an SMS too (if the message is really urgent but you're unable to make a phone call)?

And, as I said, as iMessage has message delivery confirmation it should be clear when and if an SMS is also required!

[jchamier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nigelbb

I have iMessage switched off as it's too confusing with some texts sent as proper texts & some as iMessage depending on the recipient. It's pointless & if I want to send images etc I can use WhatsApp.

Its transparent, iMessage when both ends have an Apple device (iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch/Mac) and SMS for everyone else. It only fails when there is no data. Which happens on Vodafone a lot and on O2 occasionally, and never an issue on Three or EE.

Yes WhatsApp has superceded iMessage as it is cross platform, but iMessage did the same benefits as WhatsApp a few years earlier.

[Inkblot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jchamier

Its transparent, iMessage when both ends have an Apple device (iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch/Mac) and SMS for everyone else. It only fails when there is no data. Which happens on Vodafone a lot and on O2 occasionally, and never an issue on Three or EE.

Yes WhatsApp has superceded iMessage as it is cross platform, but iMessage did the same benefits as WhatsApp a few years earlier.

Sounds like it is the issue with Vodafone data then. Where the problem occurs I often have full strength 4G on 3 so it must be the Vodafone signal that's to blame. Usually my wife is on the "underground" which is actually elevated above street level here and I can stream radio on the same stretch of line.

The main iMessage benefit for us is we communicate daily with someone in the USA and iMessage does it for free.

[Lyceum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heanor_Man31

You could always press and hold the iMessage and force it to send as an SMS too (if the message is really urgent but you're unable to make a phone call)?

This method used to work when I was on iOS 9.0.2 but I updated to 9.3.4 a week ago and for some reason this doesn't work.

It's annoying because my cousin has anniphone but she's on payg and forever running out of data so I send an iMessage and she doesn't get it but I can't figure out how to send it as s text without switching iMessage off.

[Stereo Steve]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyceum

This method used to work when I was on iOS 9.0.2 but I updated to 9.3.4 a week ago and for some reason this doesn't work.

It's annoying because my cousin has anniphone but she's on payg and forever running out of data so I send an iMessage and she doesn't get it but I can't figure out how to send it as s text without switching iMessage off.

Used to get problems with iMessage (Orange to Orange) being delayed so switched to Whatsap and haven't looked back really. Problem now is that Honor7 only picks up messages when I unlock it, which is handy. Must be a setting somewhere. Bah.