iPhone to Android MMS text; Android to iPhone MMS text

I think that I already know the answer to my question.


I have an Android smartphone that's lately been acting more like a dumb phone. My mom & sister have Androids. A friend has an iPhone. He & I have sent SMS texts back & forth.


I've used Google to try & find the answer but the websites give conflicting information.


I think that it's not possible to exchange MMS messages between iPhones & Android phones & vice versa. Am I correct? Is it impossible? Can one install an app on either the iPhone or Android or both?


The reason I'm asking is because I'm thinking about switching to the iPhone. I have a 2018 mini & a 2013 MacBook Air.


I don't have an iPhone but I had to choose an iPhone model before I could post.

iPhone XR

Posted on Oct 23, 2019 6:15 AM

Reply

Similar questions

5 replies

Oct 23, 2019 6:42 AM in response to macnerd48

As KiltedTim said, MMS communicates via your cellular service provider's voice network. These messages may be chargeable according to the terms of your contract, or may be included in an "unlimited" talk and text plan. Ask your phone company if you don't know.


What you will gain from switching to iPhone is FaceTime/iMessage, which you are probably already enjoying on your iPad. If you were to get an iPhone and put it under the same Apple ID as your iPad, you will have the added benefit of being able to send and receive voice and text on your iPad as long as it is on the same ethernet segment or within Bluetooth range of your iPhone.

Oct 23, 2019 10:54 PM in response to macnerd48

Depending on your carrier, you may be instructed to have your SIM replaced or to simply move it from one phone to the other. The two biggest reasons for changing SIMs is if the old phone's SIM is larger than nano size and if the old phone's SIM is incapable of communicating via LTE. Also, many carriers maintain special back end servers to support Apple (mine does), and require changes to users' accounts and specially configured SIM cards to get all the features offered by an iPhone.


As for information stored on the SIM, there is virtually no user recorded information actually stored on the SIM. Your message history is almost certainly in your Android phone's storage.


As for migrating from Android to iPhone, you may well be in luck. Follow the instructions in this link -- Move from Android to iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support . You will install an app in your Android phone to ensure a secure connection between phones and to help push content out of your Android. The iPhone setup procedure already contains a selection for receiving this transfer from the old phone.


Another piece of advice from me to you is to purchase the phone with the largest memory you can afford. You already know how difficult it is in Android to manage what can be offloaded to your SD card and what must remain in onboard memory. With Apple, everything is in onboard memory. If you fill up that memory you will either have to carry around an external drive (and worry about its battery charge) or buy a new phone.


Have fun, and good luck.

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

iPhone to Android MMS text; Android to iPhone MMS text

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.