iMessage on iPhone is GREEN, not (free) blue for texting.

about imessage http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3529

troubleshooting message http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2755

iMessage will only send via 3G/WiFi to another iOS device running iOS 5 or later. So if you are sending a text message to another cell phone that is not an iPhone running iOS 5 or later it will show in green.

Nope. You have to log in. Settings > Messages > Receive At > Apple ID.

I'm on a new 4s (first iPhone... be gentle with me)... iOS6

I've set Messagews > Receive AT > AppleID. Now it shows that I can receive at the phone number AND at the apple ID. Yet, the messages to others on an iPod are still showing green when I send. With another friend on a 4s and iOS6, the bubble are blue. I have SMS turned off. No clue why there's no consistency. As I don't have a text plan (on purpose since I'll just use iMessage for free, right??) this has already cost me some money in just the few days it took me to figure out that the color was important.

What did I miss?

You have to log in to iMessages, which you did, but so does the other person. Ask them if they are on iMessage. Hope you get this sorted out 🙂

Thanks Mr. Fan.

So far it seems that the problem is exactly *which* contact I send to for a given individual. Man, this is FAR from intuitive.

If friend is on an iTouch, I need to use the email address (appleID) - even if they have a phone number associated with the device. If phriend is on an iPhone, I can't use the email address, but must instead use the phone number. And of course they need to have iMessage turned on.

My dream of "everybody I know is running iOS, so this will be super easy" hasn't quite been realized for me yet!

Green bad. Blue good. This newbie never realized that before!

Another question for the smart guys: Once I get the happy blue going for everybody, I can use that via 3G as well as WiFi, right? Oh... and is there any way to tell on the phone if it is getting 3G or 4G? Seems to always say 4G... but there's no 4G where I am as far as I understand! Oops, but I'm getting off track.

Actually, iOS 6 allows you to add your phone number to iOS devices other than iPhones, for the purpose of iMessage and FaceTime calls. You can tell your friend to update, or at the very least enable iMessage.

The iOS 5.1 update changed the indicator so it says 4G, which is believed to be an AT&T marketing strategy. Nonetheless, the 4G you get is not LTE, but rather another type called HSPA+, which very loosely fits the definition of 4G. I don't believe the indicator will change to 3G. It has o (GPRS), E (EDGE), and 4G (HSPA+).

My big wonder: Can an iTouch send messages that are NOT iMessage? She has no text plan... pays nothing to send a text out. How could it not be iMessage?

Thanks for the info on the 4G indicator. Silly.

No, the iPod touch can only send iMessages, but that still has to be enabled first. She can't send any text at all until that is done.

You're welcome 🙂

Ha! See, there's the rub.

The friend ONLY owns an iTouch (so no confusion about what device she is sending from). She sends messages from her iTouch, so she must have iMessages enabled, right? When they arrive here they're gray (so how does anybody know if I'm paying text FROM her?), and when I reply to her... they're angry, money-wasting green. . When I start a new message to her, it is a green send button and says SMS at the top (even though I have SMS turned off, of course).

It simply makes no sense to me. I have an original iPad. All messages go green. All happy. Friend's iTouch. Not happy.

About that gray incoming bubble... why are they always gray coming in?

When they are green, do they actually successfully send? Because green represents SMS which the iPod cannot receive.

Also, are you sending to her phone number?

Check your settings. Other than that it depends on:

1. Whether you have an active 3/4G or Wifi connection when sending a message, if not, it will be sent as a normal SMS text (Green).

2. Person receiveing should also have an active internect connection on their device when they are receiving it. Else the text goes to them as green (normal text) even if you have an active internect connect.

3. Both have to have an iPhone or iPod touch with an active wifi, 3G or 4G - running iOS5 or later.

If any of the above is not true - the message will not be sent as an iMessage (Blue). Its quite cleverly designed, really!

Mr. Fan -

When I send on my 4s, the bubble is green. It sends, and it is received at the iTouch. Pictures and all. If the iTouch can't receive this, then this problem is even more curious. I have tried sending to the phone number associated with the touch, and to the AppleID that's associated with the touch. There is no differenc. The text sends, and is recieved... green.

>> 1. Whether you have an active 3/4G or Wifi connection when sending a message, if not, it will be sent as a normal SMS text (Green).<<

Both ends have Wifi. My iPhone end *could* use 3G, but it doesn't since it has a Wifi signal.

>>2. Person receiveing should also have an active internect connection on their device when they are receiving it. Else the text goes to them as green (normal text) even if you have an active internect connect.<<

Both ends have Wifi. Neither one is using 3G.

>>3. Both have to have an iPhone or iPod touch with an active wifi, 3G or 4G - running iOS5 or later. <<

The iPod may not be at iOS5. It is an early Touch. If it must be iOS5, this could be the insurmountable issue.

>> If any of the above is not true - the message will not be sent as an iMessage (Blue). Its quite cleverly designed, really! <<

Clever if I want to spend money on messages!