There are two main possibilities:
- Group iMessage (For iPhones Only):
- This is a messaging service exclusive to Apple devices like iPhones and iPads. Messages sent through Group iMessage appear in blue bubbles.
- If the parent used Group iMessage, everyone in the group chat will receive the message individually, and they will all see who else is in the group.
- This allows everyone to be aware of who else received the message.
- Group SMS (For iPhones and Android Phones):
- This is a standard text messaging service that works across different phone types, including iPhones and Androids. Messages sent through Group SMS appear in green bubbles.
- With Group SMS, the message is sent individually to each phone number in the group. However, there's a key difference: unlike Group iMessage, recipients won't see who else received the message in the group.
- This is because SMS messaging doesn't inherently include that information.
In Short:
- iPhones can use either Group iMessage (blue bubbles) or Group SMS (green bubbles) for group chats.
- Group iMessage lets everyone see who else is in the group.
- Group SMS keeps the recipient list private from each other.
Types of group text messages
There are three types of group messages that you might see: group iMessage, group MMS, and group SMS. The Messages app automatically chooses the type of group message to send based on settings, network connection, and carrier plan. For example:
- If you and your recipients are using Apple devices and iMessage is turned on, then the group message is sent as an iMessage.
- If you send a group message to people who aren't using iMessage, then the message is sent as an MMS or SMS message.
