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Switched to android from iOS, immediately miss imessage :(

iMessage has some nice features, but I spend the majority of my messaging time in whatsapp because it's free for everyone regardless of platform.

Not sure why this is so difficult for people to comprehend.

Oh believe me, people have spent so much time promoting whatsapp that no one in this thread is confused about it's features.
 
Oh believe me, people have spent so much time promoting whatsapp that no one in this thread is confused about it's features.

So what's the problem then? It's not as if there's a high barrier of entry. Just download the app and ask your friends to try it out too?

Is there really a snobbery towards non-iMessage users? The concept of this just seems bizarre to me.
 

Oxn

Member
So what's the problem then? It's not as if there's a high barrier of entry. Just download the app and ask your friends to try it out too?

Is there really a snobbery towards non-iMessage users? The concept of this just seems bizarre to me.

Cause we dont care about these features.
 
Cause we dont care about these features.

giphy.gif
 

DeSo

Banned
I feel bad for android users who have never tried to unlock their bootloader, install a custom ROM. That is the whole point of Android.
 
The ones who care got the app, the ones who dont, didnt get the app.

What is the problem?

Yeah. I'm always a tad befuddled by these threads. Admittedly, I'm not a power text message user. Probably something like 90 percent of my text messages are to my wife and we both have iPhones. iMessage is obviously ideal for us. For the rest there's a mix of iPhone and Android and we still just use iMessage/SMS. It's good enough for us. I've also got Slack, Discord, and IRC apps installed on my phone. But for direct person to person communication the default messenger app seems perfectly adequate for our needs.

I mean, if there was some compelling urge to switch I'd be willing to download WhatsApp or whatever else is the rage. But there's not driving need to do that right now.

*shrugs*
 
I downloaded WhatsApp and never used it, because I know exactly one user and I just text him anyway. Our texts are usually one-liners or web links, so it didn't really matter.
 

Boem

Member
I work with an American girl who moved here (Netherlands) about a year ago, and now she's part of our group of friends. A couple of weeks ago her friend from the US came to visit and joined us for a couple of drinks. The first thing she told her was to download Whatsapp, because everyone here uses it constantly and it makes it so much easier to socialize. The girlfriend was super surprised about it, but I was as well, because I always assumed the US would be the first market where an app like that takes off. It's true, everyone here uses it, and pretty much everyone I know has chat groups for family (even people like my parents, who are in their late 60s and barely know how to send an e-mail, use it daily), work (we just end up helping each other through whatsapp since it's often quicker than our company pc chat function) and friends. I feel like, at least in my immediate environment, people aren't nearly as occupied with something like Facebook anymore compared to a couple of years ago, and that Whatsapp has taken its place. I definitely talk to a larger number of friends more frequently now, and I was never a social media kind of guy.

I personally don't like to look at my phone too much throughout the day because I'm too easily distracted, but talking to family and friends on whatsapp is pretty much a daily thing now, and I don't think I really know anyone who doesn't use it. Over here, if you have a phone, you have Whatsapp. Interesting how that isn't the case at all in the US.
 

Exile20

Member
I’ve said it about a dozen times in this thread, but I’ll repeat it again because people seem to not get it.

All of these “look how much better WhatsApp is you ignorant Americans” posts are useless because WhatsApp is a platform that most of the people we know have never even heard of. WhatsApp’s superiority means nothing when we have nobody to talk to on it. We do and will continue to use whatever messaging solution allows us to talk to the people we know.
iMessage is so fucking limited that WhatsApp is the best solution. That simple. If all your friends are on iMessage then good for you but the op is on Android now so getting g WhatsApp and asking his family members to download it is the best solution for now and in the future.
 

Combichristoffersen

Combovers don't work when there is no hair
I'm personally amazed so many use Viber, WhatsApp, iMessage and Hangouts in other parts of the world. I frankly don't know anyone around here in Norway who use anything besides Facebook Messenger, Snapchat or SMS. Difference in culture.
 

BearPawB

Banned
iMessage is so fucking limited that WhatsApp is the best solution. That simple. If all your friends are on iMessage then good for you but the op is on Android now so getting g WhatsApp and asking his family members to download it is the best solution for now and in the future.

i actually returned the s8+ phone today and reactivated my iphone 7+.

I couldn't deal with it.

I loved everything about the s8+. EXCEPT for this.

My entire family group messages on imessage. They use imessage to talk to me.

Telling them to download a separate app just to include me on conversations was not going to happen, when they talk to everyone already via imessage.

My 62 year old mother is not going to use multiple messaging systems to talk to a variety of different people.

I get that whatsapp has a lot of features. But when i can ONLY talk to people using whatsapp, it is whatsapp that feels very limited. With imessage I can talk to anyone with a phone. With whatsapp i can only talk to whatsapp users.

I hope this changes in the future, with new standards or whatever.

And I understand none of the Europeans in this thread understand why it is such a big deal. But it was to me.
 
Why couldn't they continue to communicate with you via the Messages app?

Seems like a dumb reason to switch.

Because the messages app handles group messages with android user very differently depending on carrier and even the phone you’re using. It’s so goddamn complicated that I’m not remotely surprised the OP didn’t want to deal with it.

I’ve had grouped chats with a mix of Android users and iPhones, all through SMS obviously, and I would have situations where all the messages came into said group chat correctly, and others, where a new group chat would open up, or one person would send you a text to you individually but it clearly meant for everyone else. It’s a goddamn mess.
 

pwack

Member
Tried to send a gif I made from a video and it was too big for mms. So I had to send it to them on Facebook messenger

Which has been an ok stop gap I guess

i actually returned the s8+ phone today and reactivated my iphone 7+.

I couldn't deal with it.

I loved everything about the s8+. EXCEPT for this.

My entire family group messages on imessage. They use imessage to talk to me.

Telling them to download a separate app just to include me on conversations was not going to happen, when they talk to everyone already via imessage.

My 62 year old mother is not going to use multiple messaging systems to talk to a variety of different people.

I get that whatsapp has a lot of features. But when i can ONLY talk to people using whatsapp, it is whatsapp that feels very limited. With imessage I can talk to anyone with a phone. With whatsapp i can only talk to whatsapp users.

I hope this changes in the future, with new standards or whatever.

And I understand none of the Europeans in this thread understand why it is such a big deal. But it was to me.

I don't understand -- why couldn't your family still use iMessage to talk to you? Unlike Whatsapp, you can still send a message via iMessage to a non-iMessage user?

Also, I downloaded Whatsapp to see what it was (US former iPhone, now Android user). No way do I bother trying to use an app to message people if I first need to get them to download the app themselves. How does that conversation even go? I text a friend, and tell them to download an app so I can text them differently? Why wouldn't I just keep texting them in whatever I have been texting them?

Sure, Whatsapp makes sense when adoption of the software is already widespread, but until then it is too much hassle. That's the chicken-and-egg issue blocking adoption here in the US. Don't ask me how the rest of the world was incentivized to get beyond this.
 
Because the messages app handles group messages with android user very differently depending on carrier and even the phone you’re using. It’s so goddamn complicated that I’m not remotely surprised the OP didn’t want to deal with it.

I’ve had grouped chats with a mix of Android users and iPhones, all through SMS obviously, and I would have situations where all the messages came into said group chat correctly, and others, where a new group chat would open up, or one person would send you a text to you individually but it clearly meant for everyone else. It’s a goddamn mess.

That just sounds like iMessage doesn't handle group messaging very well and just converts everything to standard MMS.
 

borghe

Loves the Greater Toronto Area
so wait.... WhatsApp can only message with other WhatsApp users?

That just sounds like iMessage doesn't handle group messaging very well and just converts everything to standard MMS.

It handles group messaging exactly how it needs to. One SMS pleeb means the entire conversation has to be done over SMS. Because of the way iMessage works, EVERYONE has to be on iMessage for it to group message over it. So one SMS means the whole thing goes to an SMS group message.
 
so wait.... WhatsApp can only message with other WhatsApp users?



It handles group messaging exactly how it needs to. One SMS pleeb means the entire conversation has to be done over SMS. Because of the way iMessage works, EVERYONE has to be on iMessage for it to group message over it. So one SMS means the whole thing goes to an SMS group message.

This is why fb messenger is what most everyone I know uses for group chat.
 
i actually returned the s8+ phone today and reactivated my iphone 7+.

I couldn't deal with it.

I loved everything about the s8+. EXCEPT for this.

My entire family group messages on imessage. They use imessage to talk to me.

Telling them to download a separate app just to include me on conversations was not going to happen, when they talk to everyone already via imessage.

My 62 year old mother is not going to use multiple messaging systems to talk to a variety of different people.

I get that whatsapp has a lot of features. But when i can ONLY talk to people using whatsapp, it is whatsapp that feels very limited. With imessage I can talk to anyone with a phone. With whatsapp i can only talk to whatsapp users.

I hope this changes in the future, with new standards or whatever.

And I understand none of the Europeans in this thread understand why it is such a big deal. But it was to me.


This bums me out, actually.

I was hoping to get some answers in this thread, because I've been thinking about switching to Android, and wanted to find a solution. But instead of being helpful, WhatsAppGAF just decided to rail on anyone not using their chosen messaging device, instead of trying to help you find a solution that worked for you.

I would still like to find that solution, but if my only option is to download WhatsApp and and then spend the rest of my life trying to convince my social circle to switch, I may as well stick with iPhone, even if I want to try something different, because messaging is 80% of what I do with my device.
 

borghe

Loves the Greater Toronto Area

I mean holy shit, I never knew this. I always figured it was identical to iMessage where it just fell back to SMS, and would receive SMS as well.

Ok, now all of the people in here saying "why don't you just use WhatsApp" actually sound crazy.. umm... you'd have to switch over probably 250M users over to a 3rd part application almost simultaneously... yeah no.

This is why fb messenger is what most everyone I know uses for group chat.

uggh... I hate FB messenger... mostly because I don't use it. practically no one I know uses it.. and then out of nowhere I'll get a message on it and have to go into the app. Beyond that, it's mobile app layout is god awful. I have one buddy who practically refuses to SMS me... ugh.. I am fine with it for people I don't want to give my mobile number out to (FB "friends").. but man.. I hate Messenger..
 
I mean holy shit, I never knew this. I always figured it was identical to iMessage where it just fell back to SMS, and would receive SMS as well.

Ok, now all of the people in here saying "why don't you just use WhatsApp" actually sound crazy.. umm... you'd have to switch over probably 250M users over to a 3rd part application almost simultaneously... yeah no.



uggh... I hate FB messenger... mostly because I don't use it. practically no one I know uses it.. and then out of nowhere I'll get a message on it and have to go into the app. Beyond that, it's mobile app layout is god awful. I have one buddy who practically refuses to SMS me... ugh.. I am fine with it for people I don't want to give my mobile number out to (FB "friends").. but man.. I hate Messenger..

Seriously.

*gets text*
“I’m sorry guys, but to continue to talk to me, download WhatsApp. It’s great! Much better than text!! Trust me!”

If one of my friends sent me that, I’d *text* them to fuck off and kick them in the nuts next time I saw them
 

cyba89

Member
Seriously.

*gets text*
“I’m sorry guys, but to continue to talk to me, download WhatsApp. It’s great! Much better than text!! Trust me!”

If one of my friends sent me that, I’d *text* them to fuck off and kick them in the nuts next time I saw them

You seem to really like your friends.
 

VoxPop

Member
Lol @ messaging your entire contact list to download an app and uproot whatever messaging they use with others so you can all talk inside a 3rd party app that no one in the US uses.

But.. but.. they all use it in Europe!
 
Sorry if it's been asked already, but 10+ pages of thread...

iMessage sends SMS to whoever doesn't have iMessage. What if it's an image instead of text, it automatically sends an MMS?
Are the MMS free like the SMS in the US?
 
That just sounds like iMessage doesn't handle group messaging very well and just converts everything to standard MMS.

I doubt it. When you get SMS or MMS, iMessage doesn’t even come into play unless the group chat was originally started as an iMessage group chat. In these scenarios, they always started as SMS/MMS. I’ve had group chats with myself, an iPhone user, and two other Android users and our group chat never split up like that. Then, the same scenario with but different users and the group chat would behave differently.

Sorry if it's been asked already, but 10+ pages of thread...

iMessage sends SMS to whoever doesn't have iMessage. What if it's an image instead of text, it automatically sends an MMS?
Are the MMS free like the SMS in the US?

It sends as an MMS, and it’s free depending on your carrier.
 
Sounds like someone that'd get offended at having to use Metric instead of Imperial.

I actually do think that this is an interesting comparison. Like from what I gather if you could somehow automate a process where overnight every phone would get WhatsApp installed, all of your existing contacts were instantly added to it, and the icon was right where your current SMS/iMessage default app is, everyone would probably adjust instantly and quite possibly be way happier with a superior text chat app. But without that sort of magical rollout, aside from the people that are currently the odd ones out, I think it's just kind of perceived as a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. I think the metric system faces a similar inertia. "It's more intuitive!" "It's what most of the rest of the world uses!" OK. These are valid points, sure. But most people are satisfied with what they already know. It's pitched as the answer, but the problem is that most people aren't asking the question to begin with.
 
Seriously.

*gets text*
“I’m sorry guys, but to continue to talk to me, download WhatsApp. It’s great! Much better than text!! Trust me!”

If one of my friends sent me that, I’d *text* them to fuck off and kick them in the nuts next time I saw them
I don’t know why this is so hard for people to understand. What’s app can only message other people who also have the app. That is so limiting compared to iMessage which can do both
 

VoxPop

Member
I actually do think that this is an interesting comparison. Like from what I gather if you could somehow automate a process where overnight every phone would get WhatsApp installed, all of your existing contacts were instantly added to it, and the icon was right where your current SMS/iMessage default app is, everyone would probably adjust instantly and quite possibly be way happier with a superior text chat app. But without that sort of magical rollout, aside from the people that are currently the odd ones out, I think it's just kind of perceived as a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. I think the metric system faces a similar inertia. "It's more intuitive!" "It's what most of the rest of the world uses!" OK. These are valid points, sure. But most people are satisfied with what they already know. It's pitched as the answer, but the problem is that most people aren't asking the question to begin with.

giphy.gif
 

mrklaw

MrArseFace
Just messaging my daughter - she has an iPhone SE, I had an Android for a few weeks and am now back with an iPhone. The iMessage screen was mostly blue but now is green and I have no idea why it hasn’t flipped back to blue. I would prefer blue so I know she has read it
 

Dalek

Member
I actually do think that this is an interesting comparison. Like from what I gather if you could somehow automate a process where overnight every phone would get WhatsApp installed, all of your existing contacts were instantly added to it, and the icon was right where your current SMS/iMessage default app is, everyone would probably adjust instantly and quite possibly be way happier with a superior text chat app. But without that sort of magical rollout, aside from the people that are currently the odd ones out, I think it's just kind of perceived as a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. I think the metric system faces a similar inertia. "It's more intuitive!" "It's what most of the rest of the world uses!" OK. These are valid points, sure. But most people are satisfied with what they already know. It's pitched as the answer, but the problem is that most people aren't asking the question to begin with.

I said this earlier in the thread. I'm not sure why people can't grasp this.
 

borghe

Loves the Greater Toronto Area
Just messaging my daughter - she has an iPhone SE, I had an Android for a few weeks and am now back with an iPhone. The iMessage screen was mostly blue but now is green and I have no idea why it hasn’t flipped back to blue. I would prefer blue so I know she has read it
I’d guess there is a cool down period for protocol switches to prevent the old stuck problem. Or try turning iMessage off then on in your settings. Reboot before turning it back on.
 
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