iMessage for Dummies -an organic guide.

culabula

On the 12th October iOS 5 ushered in a new service -iMessage- which is now available to all users on iPhone, iPod touch and iPad.

Some people are confused by this new facility, especially as the Messages app is now appearing on the likes of iPad 2 for the first time, so a definitive guide to the workings and use of this facility seems apposite.

iMessage overview

iMessage is turned on in Settings/Messages.

iMessage uses the default Messages app and adds it to iPad/iPod touch. There is no separate app for ‘iMessage”.

On an iPhone the ID by default will be your phone number. Activating it may cost the price of a foreign SMS.

On other devices, such as iPad, the ID will be an email address of your choice. The initial address used by iOS 5 will most likely be your Apple ID.

Messages may be received at more than one address: you may add multiple addresses on iPad/iPod and equally you may receive at eMail addresses on your iPhone as well as your phone number.

Once multiple addresses are applied, click on the ‘receive at’ field to set the “Caller ID” -the one you wish your messages to appear from coming from. You may change this at will.

Note that if you have the same email address on two or more devices you will receive the same messages on those devices. You may consider this a boon or an irritation -it’s your choice.But if you leave the same email address on both iPhone and iPad, say, you may take up and leave a conversation on the handiest device.

To remove or change an existing solo email address you must first add another address before you can then remove the offending one: the service must have at least one ID at which it may receive messages.

Setting up an eMail address at which to receive, other than your Apple ID, requires receiving a verification eMail from Apple and clicking on it before a given address may be used.

iMessage depends on a data connection. This can be home broadband, wifi hotspot or 3G on device or 3.5G from a MiFi, for example.

iPhone:

A typical setup in Settings/Messages would be as follows:

iMessage: ON
Send Read Receipts: ON
Send as SMS: OFF (recommended)
Receive at: +3538xxxxxxx (plus other email addresses if desired)

iPad/iPod touch

A typical setup in settings/Messages would be as follows:

iMessage: ON
Read Receipts: ON
Receive at: One or more email addresses
Show Subject Field: ON

Use of iMessage

For those used to SMS on a typical iPhone here are some of the changes.

The text box will show the legend “iMessage” when available. This means that your contact at the other end has an iOS device and has updated to iOS 5 and is live.

The send button will now be blue. Green is used for SMS.

Any text you send will appear in blue. SMS text will be in green.

Unlike SMS, you may now send, free of charge (FOC) to any destination - a domestic or foreign phone number or iPad using an eMail address. Successful sending will depend on a data connection of any type at either end and of course, the other party having installed iOS 5. A sent message will change to ‘delivered’ underneath your blue text when it arrives at the other end, then to ‘read’ when he/she has read it.

If the message cannot be sent via iMessage because the other party is not online, then it will be sent as an SMS/LMS/MMS depending on the content of your iMessage.

This can prove costly if you are sending to a foreign destination. For this reason, in my opinion, “Send as SMS” should be set to off.

When “Send as SMS” is set to off, this does not prevent standard SMS being sent to a non-iOS 5 destination of your choice as you have always done. It merely prevents costly international or out-of-bundle messages from being sent, in place of a scheduled iMessage, by accident.

UPDATE: despite my "send as SMS" being set to "off " an iMessage to a British contact failed and was sent as an international SMS today, the 23/10. So, that seems useless.

Again, iMessage requires a data connection. Therefore, if you send while abroad, this will incur data roaming charges on 3G.

iMessage will use your data allowance, therefore if not on an unlimited bundle, you need to watch your usage.

iMessage may be used to send

Text (no constraints on length of message have been discovered; 75,000 messages may be stored)
Photos (from your library or take on the spot)
Video (from your library or take on the spot)
Voice (use Voice Memos app and choose share/message)
Location (use Maps, tap on location, choose share/message)
Business Cards (use Contacts, choose contact, choose share/Message).

iPad

iPad now has native messaging for the first time.

This works in the same manner as iPhone but SMS is not available. Most of the recommendations and options above apply, but, for example, there is no Voice Memos app on iPad.

There is no “send as SMS” option to turn off.

You may send to phone number and email address alike: your iMessages will be delivered to the family of iOS devices FOC.

UPDATE: It behooves a gentleman to store all his contacts' numbers in the correct format, +3538xxxxxxx, +336xxxxxxx, +447xxxxxxx. Evidence suggest that this is just as important with iMessage and iPad. Some messages may not send/deliver if you begin domestic or foreign iMessages with a leading 0.

UPDATE: When having problems sending iMessages from iPad to a known contact, perhaps one that you are successfully sending to from an iPhone, rebooting your own iPad seems to refresh things and gets it working. Killing the app does not have this effect. Perhaps turning the data connection off and on will have the same effect.

All devices

There is no way of knowing who has iMessage and who doesn't at time of writing, save by trial and error. When you attempt to send to an active destination, your send button will turn from green to blue (on iPhone) and from greyed out to blue on iPad/iPod. The word Message will change from that to iMessage (on iPhone: on the other devices there is ONLY iMessage).There is no need to actually send a message if all you want to do is to find out if a contact is now on iMessage.

Once you have sent a message, that contact is established as an iMessage destination and a blue speech bubble will appear next to their entry. If “send as SMS’ is turned off on iphone, then there is nothing to lose by testing suspected iMessage users.

UPDATE: if you add one or more addresses to any device, the last one added becomes the Caller ID. If this is not what you want, you need to go back to settings/messages/receive at/Caller ID and choose the ID you want your messages to be seen to be coming from.

UPDATE 22/11: In order to send an iMessage from an iPhone to another iOS device that can only use email addresses as ID, I now notice that such messages, originated by the sender must be initiated from within address book and not from the Message app itself. In address book, you choose "message" within a contact, then the iMessage-enabled address required. On the other hand, you may of course just reply to an incoming iMessage sent from an iPad or iPod touch.

UPDATE 01/12: please note that in the forthcoming 5.1 update, the problem of choosing an email address within the Message app on iPhone is solved: the contact's details will now offer their phone number and email address (where applicable) allowing you to send to any iOS device quickly and in-app.

I think that covers most of it, I will update if and when I think of some other information regarding this great new service.

kaizersoze

Ah no. Thanks. Good review.:)

Ambp

Why does it say Error beside my phone number in iMessage settings? Ive tried disabled and reenabling it to see if it would reactivate but it hasnt worked…

culabula

Ambp wrote: »

Why does it say Error beside my phone number in iMessage settings? Ive tried disabled and reenabling it to see if it would reactivate but it hasnt worked…

What network are you with?
Are the iMessages sending anyway?

banquo

Great work there, many thanks.

culabula

banquo wrote: »

Great work there, many thanks.

Thank you, it's a pleasure.

Mellor

culabula wrote: »

If the message cannot be sent via iMessage because the other party is not online, then it will be sent as an SMS/LMS/MMS depending on the content of your iMessage.

This can prove costly if you are sending to a foreign destination. For this reason, in my opinion, “Send as SMS” should be set to off.

When “Send as SMS” is set to off, this does not prevent standard SMS being sent to a non-iOS 5 destination of your choice as you have always done. It merely prevents costly international or out-of-bundle messages from being sent, in place of a scheduled iMessage, by accident.

Are international txt messages that much more expensive to be such a bother. I don't remeber being that bad. Are your international volumes that high?

My girlfriend and I both have iOS5 on our iPhones, normally our messages are blue. My send as sms is set to on. Randomally, my messges are sent as green sms boxes when she is out of 3G coverage, or the 3G is turned off. It would be retty annoying if my message waited until 3G was turned out to deliver rather than sending it as a SMS.

i can understand keeping off on a iPad where is is no allowance for text messaging on the plan. But i'm not sure its worth is on iPhone where ther is a lot of texting anyway.

culabula

Mellor wrote: »

Are international txt messages that much more expensive to be such a bother. I don't remeber being that bad. Are your international volumes that high?

My girlfriend and I both have iOS5 on our iPhones, normally our messages are blue. My send as sms is set to on. Randomally, my messges are sent as green sms boxes when she is out of 3G coverage, or the 3G is turned off. It would be retty annoying if my message waited until 3G was turned out to deliver rather than sending it as a SMS.

i can understand keeping off on a iPad where is is no allowance for text messaging on the plan. But i'm not sure its worth is on iPhone where ther is a lot of texting anyway.

International SMS are typically twice the price of a normal SMS. MMS (rarely bundled) are even more expensive.

As people embrace iMessage , their messages will get longer and they will be encouraged to send photos and videos more readily. If these go as SMS or MMS by mistake, the bills will add up.

Personally, international SMS make up the vast majority of my messages, so iMessage is a godsend.


Finally, for all these reasons, I wrote that in my opinion it was a good idea to set it Send as SMS to off -but it is of course the user's choice in the end.

Mellor

There are some benfits, such as international SMS etc.
And if, like you, its the bulk then turning it off is a plus.

But for most people its not an issue. Not having a text deliever immediately could be a hassle. I was just pointout that it could cause issues. I'm still debating as to weather its even worth using up my data when I could be using text or spending allowances. This also applies to pictures.

As for pictures or MMS. Just make sure you are sending an iMessage.
We've had the option to send pics and vids through email and/or facebook for ages now.

stodwyer

I have updated and am starting to use the imessage. I am in a wifi area here at work. Only thing is i am on the €30/month prepay on vodafone with free internet. BUT my credit is being used when sending the imessage. Is this an apple issue or a vodafone one? Anyone else having the same issues?

culabula

Mellor wrote: »

There are some benfits, such as international SMS etc.
And if, like you, its the bulk then turning it off is a plus.

But for most people its not an issue. Not having a text deliever immediately could be a hassle. I was just pointout that it could cause issues. I'm still debating as to weather its even worth using up my data when I could be using text or spending allowances. This also applies to pictures.

As for pictures or MMS. Just make sure you are sending an iMessage.
We've had the option to send pics and vids through email and/or facebook for ages now.

I think the most important thing in my guide is where I updated to say that turning it off does not appear to be working, for me anyway.

I have to disagree with you -I think it is an issue for lots of people. Irish people do send a lot of SMS abroad which is why 2 of our networks introduced international webtexts and clever apps like Jelly and SMS put that web facility in the palm of our hands.

Now Apple has brought us back to the original messages app: we can use iMessage for free. Messages will get longer, people will be less and less reluctant to send over-priced pictures and video. The danger therefore is that some of those messages could regularly be sent by the costly traditional method and in these hard times, that is highly undesirable. Many people could send lots of messages without realising and believing them to be free, only to find a shock at the end of the month.

Of course most traffic will be domestic -but MMS is also very expensive. The message is beware.

The ability to send pictures etc., via email and Facebook has been there for some time -but you would be surprised how few people do it, compared to their old habits of MMS.

I myself have hardly touched the Messages app in ages but now I'm back doing all of the above. I can ill afford nasty surprises. So be careful, but the choice is yours. My thoughts are only opinions and recommendations.

culabula

stodwyer wrote: »

I have updated and am starting to use the imessage. I am in a wifi area here at work. Only thing is i am on the €30/month prepay on vodafone with free internet. BUT my credit is being used when sending the imessage. Is this an apple issue or a vodafone one? Anyone else having the same issues?

How much free Internet? Could you have gone over that?

BigP

Excellent write up culabula but despite following your instructions I can neither send or receive iMessages on my iPad 1. When sending I get a message send failure. iMessaging works fine on my iPhone.

Any other suggestions?

culabula

BigP wrote: »

Excellent write up culabula but despite following your instructions I can neither send or receive iMessages on my iPad 1. When sending I get a message send failure. iMessaging works fine on my iPhone.

Any other suggestions?

I would need a few more details:

Did you use your Apple ID? Did you sign in? Did you set up iCloud?
Did you use another email address? If so, did you verify it?
Did you reboot iPad?

tallus

Excellent first post cula. Thanks

culabula

tallus wrote: »

Excellent first post cula. Thanks

First.......post......?

Mellor

culabula wrote: »

I think the most important thing in my guide is where I updated to say that turning it off does not appear to be working, for me anyway.

I have to disagree with you -I think it is an issue for lots of people. Irish people do send a lot of SMS abroad which is why 2 of our networks introduced international webtexts and clever apps like Jelly and SMS put that web facility in the palm of our hands.

Now Apple has brought us back to the original messages app: we can use iMessage for free. Messages will get longer, people will be less and less reluctant to send over-priced pictures and video. The danger therefore is that some of those messages could regularly be sent by the costly traditional method and in these hard times, that is highly undesirable. Many people could send lots of messages without realising and believing them to be free, only to find a shock at the end of the month.

Of course most traffic will be domestic -but MMS is also very expensive. The message is beware.

The ability to send pictures etc., via email and Facebook has been there for some time -but you would be surprised how few people do it, compared to their old habits of MMS.

I myself have hardly touched the Messages app in ages but now I'm back doing all of the above. I can ill afford nasty surprises. So be careful, but the choice is yours. My thoughts are only opinions and recommendations.

I know what you are saying. It really depends on the persons plan.
My text messages are the same price domestic or international. I get $550 a month towards texts and calls. I don't need to worry about that. I'm more careful of my data, if I go over the fees are huge.

If a imessage doesn't send, it appears in the lsit (blue box) with a red exclaimation amrk enxt to it. If I press the exclaimation mark, I can manually select to send as SMS. so that gets around my concern about important message being delayed.

That's whats happenign for me right mow with imessage turned on and sens as SMS off.

BigP

culabula wrote: »

I would need a few more details:

Did you use your Apple ID? Did you sign in? Did you set up iCloud?
Did you use another email address? If so, did you verify it?
Did you reboot iPad?

Yup, did all the above and no joy. When I go to compose a message and add a contact with iOS5, the send button turns blue as expected. I write the message, press send and the progress bar gets almost all the way across but then stops and I get a "not delivered" warning.

Tearing what little hair I have left out at this stage!!

culabula

BigP wrote: »

Yup, did all the above and no joy. When I go to compose a message and add a contact with iOS5, the send button turns blue as expected. I write the message, press send and the progress bar gets almost all the way across but then stops and I get a "not delivered" warning.

Tearing what little hair I have left out at this stage!!

Try sending one to me: I'm definitely enabled.

iMessage

BigP wrote: »

Yup, did all the above and no joy. When I go to compose a message and add a contact with iOS5, the send button turns blue as expected. I write the message, press send and the progress bar gets almost all the way across but then stops and I get a "not delivered" warning.

Tearing what little hair I have left out at this stage!!

Neither the recipient is not imessage-enabled or there's a problem while verifying the recipient...

mad muffin

stodwyer wrote: »

I have updated and am starting to use the imessage. I am in a wifi area here at work. Only thing is i am on the €30/month prepay on vodafone with free internet. BUT my credit is being used when sending the imessage. Is this an apple issue or a vodafone one? Anyone else having the same issues?

Just found out today and was going to post about it.

iMessage will use 3G even if you have wifi on and working.

I don't know if it's a bug or intended behavior.

culabula

mad muffin wrote: »

Just found out today and was going to post about it.

iMessage will use 3G even if you have wifi on and working.

I don't know if it's a bug or intended behavior.

No, it won't. That is not the case.

The problem the poster had was a small amount of data per diem.

mad muffin

culabula wrote: »

No, it won't. That is not the case.

The problem the poster had was a small amount of data per diem.

Are you saying iMessage isnt ignoring wifi?

culabula

mad muffin wrote: »

Are you saying iMessage isnt ignoring wifi?

I am saying that your assertion that "iMessage will use 3G even when connected to wifi" is not so -it will use wifi.

mad muffin

culabula wrote: »

I am saying that your assertion that "iMessage will use 3G even when connected to wifi" is not so -it will use wifi.

Reset data and use iMessage.

culabula

mad muffin wrote: »

Reset data and use iMessage.

I dont understand; I dont have any problems with iMessage.

freeze4real

Hi ALL,
I had to reset my iPhone and imessage isn't working for me.

It says waiting for activation.

How do i activate it, besides i have no credit on thee phone.

Facetime isnt working as well.

culabula

freeze4real wrote: »

Hi ALL,
I had to reset my iPhone and imessage isn't working for me.

It says waiting for activation.

How do i activate it, besides i have no credit on thee phone.

Facetime isnt working as well.

Well, there's the rub -no credit, no activation. Costs 25c within the State each time you activate it.

freeze4real

could i use another micro sim to activate it ?

culabula

freeze4real wrote: »

could i use another micro sim to activate it ?

Yes, for use with that SIM only. Sim-swap and you will need to reactivate.

Soot-fan

Hi,

The wife lost her iphone 4 with imessaging activted.
The phone was password locked.
Her new phone is a android euorpa :eek: with the same phone number
The porblem is when i text her it sends an imessage rather than a normal text message. the imessage is never devliered.
this is a pain as i have to resend it each time as a text.
I don't want to turn on the 'send as SMS' in setting for other reasons.
I tried creating a new contact with the same phone number but that doesnt work.
we share an ipad but my details are on imessaging.

any ideas how to unregister her number from imessage.

ablelocks

a couple of times when I've sent an imessage, the recipient sees the 083 number of my sim, rather than my actual 087 number. This only happens with imessage - any time i send a normal text or make a call the recipient sees my 087 number (or my name if in their address book).

How to fix this?

(i switched from a personal account to a business account with 3, am new to iphone 4s and to iMessage, so i may have not set it up right. )

culabula

Soot-fan wrote: »

Hi,

The wife lost her iphone 4 with imessaging activted.
The phone was password locked.
Her new phone is a android euorpa :eek: with the same phone number
The porblem is when i text her it sends an imessage rather than a normal text message. the imessage is never devliered.
this is a pain as i have to resend it each time as a text.
I don't want to turn on the 'send as SMS' in setting for other reasons.
I tried creating a new contact with the same phone number but that doesnt work.
we share an ipad but my details are on imessaging.

any ideas how to unregister her number from imessage.

Did she have an iCloud account too?

culabula

ablelocks wrote: »

a couple of times when I've sent an imessage, the recipient sees the 083 number of my sim, rather than my actual 087 number. This only happens with imessage - any time i send a normal text or make a call the recipient sees my 087 number (or my name if in their address book).

How to fix this?

(i switched from a personal account to a business account with 3, am new to iphone 4s and to iMessage, so i may have not set it up right. )

Try connecting the iPhone to iTunes and adjust the number in "summary". Or go to settings/phone/my number on the handset itself and correct there.

ablelocks

culabula wrote: »

Try connecting the iPhone to iTunes and adjust the number in "summary". Or go to settings/phone/my number on the handset itself and correct there.

no option to change it on the phone, will try itunes.

edit - itunes won't let me change the number either. As far as i can remember, when I initially set it up in itunes, i entered my 087 number as the phone's number. A few days later, i backed-up and restored in order to get the 9A406 update - could that have reset the phone's number to the sim?

culabula

ablelocks wrote: »

no option to change it on the phone, will try itunes.

edit - itunes won't let me change the number either. As far as i can remember, when I initially set it up in itunes, i entered my 087 number as the phone's number. A few days later, i backed-up and restored in order to get the 9A406 update - could that have reset the phone's number to the sim?

You're with Three? And you don't have phone/My Number in settings?

ablelocks

culabula wrote: »

You're with Three? And you don't have phone/My Number in settings?

yep, with three (087 is a ported number)

I can see the "my number" in phone settings as an 083 number (the number on the micro-sim i got), but I can't change it.

culabula

ablelocks wrote: »

yep, with three (087 is a ported number)

I can see the "my number" in phone settings as an 083 number (the number on the micro-sim i got), but I can't change it.

I can I just click on the forward arrow > beside the number and adjust it.

ablelocks

culabula wrote: »

I can I just click on the forward arrow > beside the number and adjust it.

no arrow beside mine.

are there other settings that should be on/off for the arrow to become active?

culabula

ablelocks wrote: »

no arrow beside mine.

are there other settings that should be on/off for the arrow to become active?

No idea, am afraid, mine has always been like that.

Mellor

Soot-fan wrote: »

Hi,

The wife lost her iphone 4 with imessaging activted.
The phone was password locked.
Her new phone is a android euorpa :eek: with the same phone number
The porblem is when i text her it sends an imessage rather than a normal text message. the imessage is never devliered.
this is a pain as i have to resend it each time as a text.
I don't want to turn on the 'send as SMS' in setting for other reasons.
I tried creating a new contact with the same phone number but that doesnt work.
we share an ipad but my details are on imessaging.

any ideas how to unregister her number from imessage.

Delete any previous text conversations.
Switch iMessage off, then back on.

Write new text, it should be a green button, ie SMS.

culabula

Mellor wrote: »

Delete any previous text conversations.
Switch iMessage off, then back on.

Write new text, it should be a green button, ie SMS.

Was just about to try that with someone in a similar recently-lost iPhone scenario, when I noticed it was back to green of its own accord. Maybe resets itself eventually.

Mellor

It will check itsself again periodically. But you can force a check by turning it on and off.

I had to do that a few times recently. Was only back in ireland on a temp sim, had data switch off (until I enrolled in a free internet with top up plan) and going in and out of wifi caused it to stall sometimes.

Soot-fan

Mellor wrote: »

Delete any previous text conversations.
Switch iMessage off, then back on.

Write new text, it should be a green button, ie SMS.

tried this and it still comes up as an imessage.
when i sellect her contract there is a blue speach balloon beside her name.

CuppaCocoa

My partner has just started using iMessgae. However, her customized text tone has disappeared and been replaced with the default one. Any way to link this tone to iMessage?

culabula

lilybarlean wrote: »

My partner has just started using iMessgae. However, her customized text tone has disappeared and been replaced with the default one. Any way to link this tone to iMessage?

No problem. Most of mine have dedicated ring tones.

BrendanD

I just cant seem to get this activated on one of my iphones
I have 1 itunes account that i use for myself and my wife
her iphone can use imessage
I setup another account for myself separate apple ID and email and got the activation email but its just showing waiting for activation for days now.
Tried turning it off and on , logging out of itunes etc but still not working

CuppaCocoa

culabula wrote: »

No problem. Most of mine have dedicated ring tones.

so how is it done? Her text tone is set it just doesn't use it since she switched to iMessage?

culabula

lilybarlean wrote: »

so how is it done? Her text tone is set it just doesn't use it since she switched to iMessage?

Just return to contacts, select desired contact, click edit and "ringtone" will appear as a configurable option.

Mellor

I think you are miss reading the question.
She is refering to a text tone not a ringtone.

iMessage uses a different tone. So the custom ringtone it still there, (go to sounds to set it) but it only works for message from non imessage users. The imessage tone is a separate default sound. Theyll prob change this in a new update, rather simple fix I have thought.

culabula

Mellor wrote: »

I think you are miss reading the question.
She is refering to a text tone not a ringtone.

iMessage uses a different tone. So the custom ringtone it still there, (go to sounds to set it) but it only works for message from non imessage users. The imessage tone is a separate default sound. Theyll prob change this in a new update, rather simple fix I have thought.

Yes, you're quite right - it is called text tone. However, in order to set a dedicated one for a given contact, you do so in the manner that I have already described. Go to your address book, choose that contact, click edit, scroll down to text tone and choose the ringtone, custom or otherwise and set it from there.