knirirr
Level 1 (4 points)
Apple Watch

Q: Unable to send SMS

I have an Apple Watch running watchOS 2.2.2 (13V604) and an iPhone 5S with iOS 9.3.5 (13G36). Previously, I found that the watch would not send text messages hands-free unless I turned on iMessage; these messages would simply vanish, but all seemed to work well for a few weeks after iMessage was activated.

 

Now I find that the following will happen if I try to send messages to someone who is not using iMessage (e.g. Android users):

 

"Hey Siri, send a message to $PERSON saying $MESSAGE" -> within a few seconds a notification pops up showing that the message was not sent. The message does not appear in the messaging app on the iPhone, yet I know have many unsent messages in the watch message app (it seems impossible to re-send or dismiss these). If I select a message manually via the messaging app on the watch (either by replying or composing a new one) then it is sent correctly.

 

Unfortunately, sending hands-free text messages to Android users is very high on the list of essential requirements for using this watch. Can anyone suggest how to deal with this? N.B. I have already turned iMessage off and on again and power cycled both watch and iPhone.

Posted on Sep 1, 2016 2:34 AM

by knirirr,Solvedanswer
knirirr knirirr
Level 1 (4 points)
Apple Watch
A:

Thanks for all the replies!

 

The shop (not an Apple Store, but a reseller) were of no use, stating that I'd have to wipe the iPhone and discard my backups. Not only would this have been a pain but it would not have fixed the issue as it was caused by my contacts information and would have reappeared once the contacts synced to the iPhone.

 

The problem turned out to be that several of my contacts have two entries; one, with the phone number, I added manually and another with the email address only which seems to have been added by Google+. Initially Siri was using the entry with the phone number but seems instead to have been finding the entry with only an email address for the past few days. As most of my contacts use Android there would be no iMessage account associated with that address and no message could therefore be sent (perhaps a more detailed error message would have helped here).

 

Anyway, perhaps this might be of use in case anyone else encounters the same problem.

Posted on Sep 2, 2016 11:01 AM

Close
knirirr

Q: Unable to send SMS

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by Jonathan UK,

    Jonathan UK Jonathan UK Sep 1, 2016 2:40 AM in response to knirirr
    Level 7 (29,474 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 1, 2016 2:40 AM in response to knirirr

    Hi

     

    It may help to toggle Send as SMS off and on again:

     

    - On your iPhone, in Settings > Messages > Send as SMS.

  • by knirirr,

    knirirr knirirr Sep 1, 2016 2:44 AM in response to Jonathan UK
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 1, 2016 2:44 AM in response to Jonathan UK

    Unfortunately that did not resolve the issue.

  • by Jonathan UK,

    Jonathan UK Jonathan UK Sep 1, 2016 3:07 AM in response to knirirr
    Level 7 (29,474 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 1, 2016 3:07 AM in response to knirirr

    If any affected contact was previously using an iPhone, ask them to check that they have deregistered iMessage / turned off iMessage, now that they are using a non-Apple phone:

     

    https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage/

  • by knirirr,

    knirirr knirirr Sep 1, 2016 3:23 AM in response to Jonathan UK
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 1, 2016 3:23 AM in response to Jonathan UK

    The affected contact has never used an iPhone and is highly unlikely to want to switch to one. However, I note that the watch shows the message it's trying to send in blue and I wonder if it has for some reason decided to try to send by means of iMessage rather than SMS.

     

    As it happens I would never use iMessage, even with iPhone-using contacts, if it were not for the fact that the watch refuses to send anything at all hands-free with iMessage turned off. I'd much rather messages went as SMS all the time.

  • by knirirr,

    knirirr knirirr Sep 1, 2016 5:34 AM in response to knirirr
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 1, 2016 5:34 AM in response to knirirr

    The watch now seems incapable of sending SMS at all. Messages I compose on the iPhone are immediately visible on the watch. But, messages composed on the watch never appear on the iPhone and never send.

  • by Jonathan UK,

    Jonathan UK Jonathan UK Sep 1, 2016 5:36 AM in response to knirirr
    Level 7 (29,474 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 1, 2016 5:36 AM in response to knirirr

    I suggest that you unpair and re-pair your watch.

     

    The Watch app on your iPhone takes a backup of your watch when unpairing via the app. Choose to Restore from Backup when offered the option during set up. Most data and settings will be restored, with some exceptions (eg Apple Pay cards, passcode).

     

    Unpair your Apple Watch and iPhone - Apple Support

    Set up your Apple Watch - Apple Support

  • by knirirr,

    knirirr knirirr Sep 1, 2016 6:30 AM in response to Jonathan UK
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 1, 2016 6:30 AM in response to Jonathan UK

    Unpairing and repairing seems to have restored the ability to send text messages manually (at least a message dictated on the watch has appeared on the iPhone), but Siri still refuses to send messages as described above.

  • by knirirr,

    knirirr knirirr Sep 2, 2016 1:41 AM in response to knirirr
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 2, 2016 1:41 AM in response to knirirr

    A further investigation shows that Siri on the iPhone is now exhibiting a similar problem (which wasn't previously the case) so it may be that it's not entirely the fault of the watch. As suggested by Apple support I'll go to a shop to investigate.

  • by deggie,

    deggie deggie Sep 2, 2016 10:41 AM in response to knirirr
    Level 9 (54,409 points)
    Sep 2, 2016 10:41 AM in response to knirirr

    You might also want to call your cell provider before you go and have the re-provision your phone.

  • by knirirr,Solvedanswer

    knirirr knirirr Sep 2, 2016 11:01 AM in response to knirirr
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 2, 2016 11:01 AM in response to knirirr

    Thanks for all the replies!

     

    The shop (not an Apple Store, but a reseller) were of no use, stating that I'd have to wipe the iPhone and discard my backups. Not only would this have been a pain but it would not have fixed the issue as it was caused by my contacts information and would have reappeared once the contacts synced to the iPhone.

     

    The problem turned out to be that several of my contacts have two entries; one, with the phone number, I added manually and another with the email address only which seems to have been added by Google+. Initially Siri was using the entry with the phone number but seems instead to have been finding the entry with only an email address for the past few days. As most of my contacts use Android there would be no iMessage account associated with that address and no message could therefore be sent (perhaps a more detailed error message would have helped here).

     

    Anyway, perhaps this might be of use in case anyone else encounters the same problem.

  • by deggie,

    deggie deggie Sep 2, 2016 11:03 AM in response to knirirr
    Level 9 (54,409 points)
    Sep 2, 2016 11:03 AM in response to knirirr

    Glad you sorted it out, I don't use Google + so I would never have seen that issue. Give yourself a pat on the back with a green solved so others can see you answered your question.

  • by Jonathan UK,

    Jonathan UK Jonathan UK Sep 2, 2016 11:04 AM in response to knirirr
    Level 7 (29,474 points)
    Apple Watch
    Sep 2, 2016 11:04 AM in response to knirirr

    Thank you for following up!