Converted iPhone 8 to act like iPod Touch but sending messages to non-iPhone users fails

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Converted iPhone 8 to act like iPod Touch but sending messages to non-iPhone users fails

I bought a new iPhone 13 Pro and want to use my old iPhone 8 as an iPod Touch. In the past I used an actual iPod Touch for this purpose where sending/receiving messages worked fine with messages from both iPhone users as well as non-iPhone users.

With the new setup, my cellular connected iPhone 13 Pro and old non-cellular connected iPhone 8, I am able to send and receive messages if they are from other iPhone users. I am also able to receive messages from non-iPhone users but I am not able to send/respond to messages from non-iPhone users, where the error “Not Delivered”.

Like I mentioned above, this worked fine with my old iPod Touch and also works fine with my iPad. It seems like my iPhone 8 is trying to send the message as SMS which can’t work because it does not have a cellular connection.

How do I get my converted iPhone 8 to successfully send messages to non-iPhone users?

iPhone 8, iOS 15

Posted on Jun 25, 2022 4:37 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 25, 2022 5:13 PM in response to ClaudBoulder

SMS and mMS are cellular telephone services, so can only be sent or received on a device with a cellular telephone service account set up on it. SMS and MMS use the cellular telephone voice bandwidth (and cellular data for the non-text part of an MMS) so have nothing to do with the internet. Those messaging technologies actually pre-date the internet.

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Answer 2

jeremyw013

Level 4

1,385 points

Jun 25, 2022 4:41 PM in response to ClaudBoulder

Sending messages to non-iPhone requires a cellular connection via SIM card directly on the device, because it uses SMS/MMS, which is the protocol used to send messages between Apple and non-Apple devices.

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Answer 3

ClaudBoulder Author

Level 1

12 points

Jun 25, 2022 8:28 PM in response to Michael Black

Thank you both for your replies. Yes, I understand and agree with your explanation that SMS/MMS cannot be sent over the internet. But I can send text messages from my iPad to non-iPhone users. I just want to treat my old iPhone 8 as if it is an iPod Touch and be able to send text messages to non-iPhone users.

As I mentioned I am trying to replace a defunct iPod Touch with my old iPhone 8 which now does not have cellular service. I was told I could do this when I purchased my iPhone 13 which does have cellular service. I had no problem sending text messages to non-iPhone users with my iPod Touch as well as with my iPad (set up to send and receive text messages from my iPhone 8 when it had cellular). I now have my iPhone 13 set up for Text Message Forwarding and to allow my iPad and non-cellular iPhone 8 to send and receive text messages. The iPad works great and can sent text messages to non-iPhone users.

How do I set up my iPhone 8 so that it can send text messages to non-iPhone users like I can with my iPad?

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Answer 4

ClaudBoulder Author

Level 1

12 points

Jun 25, 2022 8:43 PM in response to Community User

I don’t agree since my iPad does not have a SIM card and it can communicate to Android devices through my iPhone 13 that does have a SIM card. I just want to do the same with my iPhone 8. Why can’t I set up my iPhone 8, that does not have a SIM card, to truly act like an iPod Touch or iPad which also do not have SIM cards.

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Answer 5

jeremyw013

Level 4

1,385 points

Jun 26, 2022 1:54 PM in response to Community User

You are correct, Teehee5, but that’s not the reason. It’s not because of the software. iPod Touch uses iOS as well. The reason it’s that way is because the iPhone is built to be a user’s main device. iPod Touch, iPad, and Mac are built as technically companion devices (not so much Mac, but it can be used as a companion). iPhone is not built to be a companion device, especially to other iPhones. That’s why text message forwarding is not available for iPhone.

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Answer 6

jeremyw013

Level 4

1,385 points

Jun 26, 2022 6:58 AM in response to jeremyw013

See this article here: How to forward SMS/MMS text messages from your iPhone to your iPad, iPod touch or Mac - Apple Support.

Note that it says iPad, iPod touch or Mac, no iPhone.

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Answer 7

jeremyw013

Level 4

1,385 points

Jun 26, 2022 1:58 PM in response to Community User

You’re welcome. More than happy to help 😉

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Answer 8

jeremyw013

Level 4

1,385 points

Jun 26, 2022 6:59 AM in response to ClaudBoulder

Well, an iPhone is meant to be a cellular device itself, and an iPad or iPod Touch is meant to be a companion device. iPhones are built differently, mainly the SIM tray. iPad and iPod touch (or Mac) are capable of doing text message forwarding with an iPhone as a COMPANION device. iPhones are not made to be companions to other iPhones, so you can’t do that with an iPhone.

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Answer 9

Jun 25, 2022 8:30 PM in response to ClaudBoulder

In order to communicate with android users you need a sim (esim), you cannot just use wifi hope this helps

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Answer 10

Jun 26, 2022 1:48 PM in response to ClaudBoulder

Yes but iPad and iPhone run on two different operating systems iPad uses iPados and iPhone uses ios

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Answer 11

Jun 26, 2022 1:57 PM in response to jeremyw013

Thank you for correcting me

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Converted iPhone 8 to act like iPod Touch but sending messages to non-iPhone users fails

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