iMessage syncing slow?

Question

Level 1

4 points

iMessage syncing slow?

I can't tell if this is just a problem with me, or if this is fairly common, so any input is appreciated:

I have an iMac, iPhone and iPad. Theoretically, iMessages should instantly sync between all three devices. However, in practice, the sync between devices is (usually) quite slow. Messages will often come through to the iPhone first, then take up to fifteen minutes to sync to the other two devices. This greatly undermines the practical utility of the service.

Additionally, the Messages app on my Mac routinely gets the order of sync'd messages wrong (it'll show messages out of chronological order)... the only way to fix this is to reboot the application.

Does anyone else have issues with slow sync and/or out of order messages? I've tried deleting conversations and signing in/out of iMessage on various devices to correct the issue, but it never works... it makes me think it's something wrong on the Apple server end...

OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Sep 23, 2012 5:11 PM

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Answer 1

Ben401 Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 27, 2013 10:46 AM in response to Ralph-Johns-UK

I submitted this to the developer bug reporter, and got a reply from Apple saying it's a known issue. So hopefully they're working on fixing it and improving the service. But, IMHO, they should have worked out these kinds of glaring issues prior to releasing the software.

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Answer 2

Jan 8, 2013 12:40 AM in response to Ben401

I have the same problem too and it's been quite a while now. This is so NOT APPLE... because I chose Apple for quality and reliability.

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Answer 3

Sep 23, 2012 8:43 PM in response to Ben401

Yes I am having the same problem!

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Answer 4

bigtman1

Level 1

4 points

Oct 1, 2012 7:22 PM in response to Ben401

I am have the same issue, iPhone 5, iPad 3, Mac with Mnt Lion all useing the same apple ID and imessage. slow and out of order messages, apple what in the world is going on here, skype is better.

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Answer 5

Oct 4, 2012 5:37 AM in response to Ben401

Yes, same for me too. Sometimes messages seem to take a few hours to appear on my Mac and they are out of order. The next day they are in order but newer messages are not. I agree that it lessens the utility of the app.

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Answer 6

adioncdn

Level 1

0 points

Oct 8, 2012 7:54 AM in response to Ben401

Glad to hear that it isn't just me. Hope the boys and girls at Apple are seeing this issue. Please, please just add a refresh button at the very least. Most of the time I hear the phone go off but want to write back on my Mac. If I had a refresh button at least I could see what was written and reply.

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Answer 7

Oct 9, 2012 10:54 PM in response to Ben401

This happens to me as well. Very annoying as it practically defeats the purpose. I simply cannot rely on the ML Messages app at this point.

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Answer 8

Kushari

Level 1

8 points

Oct 11, 2012 7:33 AM in response to Ben401

I've got the same problem as well! It was working better before they released a "fix" for Messages. Ironically.

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Answer 9

Ben401 Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 11, 2012 8:43 AM in response to Kushari

Okay, so it's not just me. It's really frustrating, because I find it largely defeats the whole purpose of the service. If it worked exactly as advertised, I'd be very happy. But in practice the cross-device synchronization is so hit-and-miss that it's rendered nearly useless.

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Answer 10

Oct 13, 2012 12:40 PM in response to Ben401

Hi

I would suggest http://www.apple.com/feedback/ichat.html

Under the hood Messages still uses many iChat parts and the Free text area on that page will accommodate the Version Number and OS version you are using.

8:40 PM Saturday; October 13, 2012

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

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Answer 11

Big Boot

Level 1

4 points

Nov 7, 2012 11:48 AM in response to Ben401

Sometimes the chronological order of the messages is correct on the iPhone but when I go to my MacBook Air the same conversation will be out of order. The issue seems to me mostly with the iMessage app on the MacBook Air and OS X v 10.8.2 (with all update current on both devices). Not use to this kind of glitchy stuff since the old days. Usually these type of issues are solved pretty quickly with updates; not this time. Hope soon as the Cloud is getting a bit foggy.

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Answer 12

Nov 7, 2012 1:19 PM in response to Big Boot

Hi,

iMessages has nothing to do with iCloud with the exception that some people use their Apple ID that they use for iCloud.

It does seem that the Mac App and it's syncing from the iMessages server is the area that needs looking at.

However people are less likely to have their iPhone s off even when using the Mac version of Messages at home.

For Macs it seems to be worse when the computer has been Asleep or Off when Messages is launched.

A conversation that is already taking place on the iPhone has new iMessages then interspersed with the conversation history that is trying to sync.

I would like to see some method that ensured a sort of Instant catch up on devices that had been Off line for some reason.

9:19 PM Wednesday; November 7, 2012

Please, if posting Logs, do not post any Log info after the line "Binary Images for iChat"

 iMac 2.5Ghz 5i 2011 (Mountain Lion 10.8.2)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 Couple of iPhones and an iPad
"Limit the Logs to the Bits above Binary Images."  No, Seriously

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Answer 13

mitalm

Level 1

0 points

Nov 8, 2012 4:11 AM in response to Ben401

Yeah getting the same problem too! Very annoying! Definitely just on the iMessage app on Mountain Lion hopefully just a simple software fix!

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Answer 14

öalskfj

Level 1

0 points

Nov 22, 2012 3:02 AM in response to Ben401

Same Problem here.

Using:

- iPhone 5 (2 weeks ago iPhone 4), both iOS 6.0.1.

- Macbook Pro Retina OS X 10.8.2

I can send and receive Messages from my Phone without any Problems.

As soon as i activate Messages on my Mac the Problems start:

I can send Messages from the Mac, somtimes they arrive, sometimes they don't. Sometimes they are synced with the iPhone, somtimes they aren't.

If someone is sending me a Message he reveives this red alert button, that the message hasn't been delivered even though it has been delivered to my iPhone (but not to my Mac).

I activated/disactivated iMessages on every device several times, even reseted my iPhone. Nothing solved the problem....

Any other suggestions?

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Answer 15

Nov 22, 2012 7:28 AM in response to Ben401

Hi Ben,

just as of today I have the same problem on my Mac but not on the iPhone. Messages came in 2 days late an out of order.

I will try to close and reopen the application on the Mac.

Will keep you posted

/Jan

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