iPhone to Android iMessage bug fix

Going to agree with harsh_varia. Anyone who says there is a simple fix for this is wrong. There are from what I can tell 2 fundamental problems here. The first is easily addressed. Calling Apple will get your number removed from Apple's database of iMessage accounts and will prevent new people from trying to send you iMessages. Apple should probably work with the carriers to find a way to automate that process when people port their numbers, but at least this is easily remedied with a call to Apple.

The second issue though is a major flaw in the architecture of the iMessage client. iMessage doesn't seem to check to see if a phone number you have been sending to still has an iMessage account. So if you have existing message threads with someone, then you will continue sending them iMessages even if their account is no longer valid in the Apple database. And iMessage won't let the user select the type of message they want to send, so your friends won't necesarily notice that they sent you an iMessage unless they look at the color coding. (Which in truth is one of the things that makes iMessage so great. It keeps those kinds of decisions away from the user and just chooses what should work best for you. And that seems to work well in just about every circumstance except here.) Fixing that though will require a software update and Apple has been notoriously slow to do anything about it. I suppose another option is for Apple to make some changes server side that would reject iMessages send to phone numbers that have been deactivated. With iMessages being a closed platform, I can't really speculate the plausibility of that. The issue is probably compounded with group messaging. The majority of iMessages I don't get are group messages that involve multiple iPhone users. It might be trickier to send a fail notice when some accounts are valid but some aren't.

I'm not typically a conspirary theorist, but since this only affects people leaving the Apple ecosystem, you get the feeling that they are treating this as a low priority fix. It's exceptionally frustrating since there isn't much you can do about it other than telling all your friends to delete your messages, delete your contact, add you back in as a contact, and keep your fingers crossed. I haven't even heard from Apple if that is a confirmed way to fix it. They have been tight lipped about the whole thing and from what I can tell only have one partially useful knowledge base article. There have been a number of news articles about this issue recently though and it's starting to make Apple look bad. Let's hope that they add more resources to fixing this problem and get something out soon.

bluon wrote:

Apple should probably work with the carriers to find a way to automate that process when people port their numbers, but at least this is easily remedied with a call to Apple.

this. all of the this.

bluon wrote:

The second issue though is a major flaw in the architecture of the iMessage client. iMessage doesn't seem to check to see if a phone number you have been sending to still has an iMessage account. So if you have existing message threads with someone, then you will continue sending them iMessages even if their account is no longer valid in the Apple database. Fixing that though will require a software update and Apple has been notoriously slow to do anything about it. I suppose another option is for Apple to make some changes server side that would reject iMessages send to phone numbers that have been deactivated.

the latest software update was SUPPOSED to do exactly that. but judging from all the people who say they have tried that it doesnt seem to have worked.

and if anyone is wondering why i sound bipolar on the threads and jump around from defending apple to agreeing with others that are posting against the imessage issue like the thread i just quoted... its because of the context in the text. bluon posted what i believe to be the most intelligent thread in a long time on here. i find it a complete waste of time and space to see an entire page taken up with nothing but, "someone should sue apple" and "nothing works for anyone ever. dont bother doing the troubleshooting steps because it didnt work for me". im not defending apple against them. i just want to shut them up so we can get to the problem solving. so either post something helpful or expect to get rediculed by the people that are on here to discuss solutions. sorry if thats not sensitive enough for u guys but i am a very blunt person. i do not have any patience for nonsense. i know this post, like all of my other very blunt posts, will get me trolled again. but be warned, im just gonna post the feedback website again that dont have anything intelligent to add to the conversation because noone on here wants to hear u *****.

zelous wrote:

but be warned, im just gonna post the feedback website again that dont have anything intelligent to add to the conversation because noone on here wants to hear u *****.

I'm pretty sure the feedback goes to the same place as those iMessages we aren't getting...

zelous wrote:

and if anyone is wondering why i sound bipolar on the threads and jump around from defending apple to agreeing with others that are posting against the imessage issue like the thread i just quoted... its because of the context in the text. bluon posted what i believe to be the most intelligent thread in a long time on here. i find it a complete waste of time and space to see an entire page taken up with nothing but, "someone should sue apple" and "nothing works for anyone ever. dont bother doing the troubleshooting steps because it didnt work for me". im not defending apple against them. i just want to shut them up so we can get to the problem solving.

Give it up.

Lost cause. They simply want to rant.

goukison wrote:

hey guys

it's pointless to call Apple or argue with the idiot fanboys.

there is obviousely no concrete solution to the problem. Removing your phone number from your apple account or turning off the imessage on the iphone is useless. ( please stop suggesting that!)

ur entire post was false. but ill just quote this bit to reply to. i know of many people those steps HAVE helped. so it sounds like ur selfish, egotistical, and arrogant and just because it doesnt work for u that means it cant possibly work for anyone else. please, for the love of the gods, stop trying to spread ur stupidity to everyone else that is actually trying to resolve this issue.

zelous wrote:

goukison wrote:

hey guys

it's pointless to call Apple or argue with the idiot fanboys.

there is obviousely no concrete solution to the problem. Removing your phone number from your apple account or turning off the imessage on the iphone is useless. ( please stop suggesting that!)

ur entire post was false. but ill just quote this bit to reply to. i know of many people those steps HAVE helped. so it sounds like ur selfish, egotistical, and arrogant and just because it doesnt work for u that means it cant possibly work for anyone else. please, for the love of the gods, stop trying to spread ur stupidity to everyone else that is actually trying to resolve this issue.

It's not that it's useless. It's just marginally useful and not totally effective. Even getting all my friends to upgrade to 7.1.1 is not wholly effective as Apple suggested it would be.

martofsky wrote:

zelous wrote:

goukison wrote:

hey guys

it's pointless to call Apple or argue with the idiot fanboys.

there is obviousely no concrete solution to the problem. Removing your phone number from your apple account or turning off the imessage on the iphone is useless. ( please stop suggesting that!)

ur entire post was false. but ill just quote this bit to reply to. i know of many people those steps HAVE helped. so it sounds like ur selfish, egotistical, and arrogant and just because it doesnt work for u that means it cant possibly work for anyone else. please, for the love of the gods, stop trying to spread ur stupidity to everyone else that is actually trying to resolve this issue.

It's not that it's useless. It's just marginally useful and not totally effective. Even getting all my friends to upgrade to 7.1.1 is not wholly effective as Apple suggested it would be.

i agree. it doesnt work for everyone. i just dont like it when someone says it doesnt work at all and everyone should ignore it just because it didnt work for them. its like telling everyone in a cpr class that this one time it didnt work and the person died so everyone should just forget about learning cpr because it never works.

zelous wrote:

i agree. it doesnt work for everyone. i just dont like it when someone says it doesnt work at all and everyone should ignore it just because it didnt work for them. its like telling everyone in a cpr class that this one time it didnt work and the person died so everyone should just forget about learning cpr because it never works.

I think most people are just objecting to the posts that go something like "all you have to do to fix it is..." From the start, people have been saying this isn't a bug, but as we have learned there are no simple fixes yet. There are lots of things that people can try and maybe for some inexplicable reason it works, but for most people, there is not much you can do.

Again, support from Apple would help to clear up a lot of this confusion. But Apple has been very tight lipped and has barely acknowledged there is an issue.

oops, am sorry chris

you are absolutely wright !

if the imessage option is turned on the iphone 4s and below , your friends will have the option to "send as sms" available.( i will correct that part of my post immidiately)

i am not sure if i explained it correctly, but the people that need to turn on the "send as sms" option are your friends who still own iphones and are trying to send you messages on the device you've switched to.

it's true that i am not an expert at this,

i am not claiming that this a general solution to the problem which is why i said that " it's an UNCONVENIANT way to get around this problem" on my post. this was actually suggested by another user earlier on this forum.

i did it, and it worked for me, so i decided to share with everyone just in case it works for someone else.

it's entirely up to you to follow my suggestion.

it seems like the worst that could happen is that your carrier will charge your friends according to their text message plan. ( not a 100% sure)

it's very unconveniant to call your friends and ask them to make sure that their "send as sms" option is on

but it works.

some users are saying that my suggestion is wrong. i am not sure why, but it worked for me

my advise is to call one of your close friends, and test it ( switch on "send as sms) and text you . if it fails, all they have to do is switch the "send as sms" option back to off .

here is the list of things i did before i came up to this:

1) turned off imessage on my iphone

2) called my carrier

3) removed my number from my apple account

4) called apple ( several times)

5) went to multiple forums

i never said to NOT turn off your imessage or to NOT call apple, i just said that it was useless ( based on my experience and apparently on several other users here too) if they had a solution, i wouldn't be here on page 29 of a post that seems to be going on for a while...

i am not involved in the apple love/hate fan war, we all have good qualities and flaws ( whether it's apple or me)

if i am wrong about something i always apologize, but if i am wright i stand my ground.

i never intend to offend anyone when i come to this post

and i will not engage in a conversation with angry users

good luck to all

It's simple. Delete the contact. And create the contact again and make sure the label next to the phone number is mobile and not iPhone. Then send a SMS. Also if possible you might already have a contact that has never used an iPhone before. Send a group message using the contacts number and the former iPhone users number and it should automatically send as green SMS. Ten you should do fine. If. It delete the contact and send a message just to the number of the former apple user and it should send as SMS.

Thanks rojas,

thats another option worked

i hope there will be an easier way to do this, without having to delete and re-create a contact .

but for now i am just happy that i can text with my family and close friends

rojas01420 wrote:

It's simple.

Having to request all your friends/colleauges go through that process isn't very realistic, especially when some of them can barely operate their phones to begin with. Plus, it's completely unprofessional to request business clients to do that for you. Yes, it can work, but it's by no means simple.

This is such a rediculous problem. I've gone through every single 'fix' for this and it still doesn't work. Things I've done:

Turned off iMessage and Find my Phone on my old iPhone

Deleted my number from my Apple support profile

Deleted my phone from my iCloud account

Texted Stop to 48369 and got a reply that I wouldn't get iMessages

Unregistered my iPhone on my Apple account

Called Apple support a few times and confirmed that I was removed from the iMessage server

Had friends delete my contact and text conversation, made sure SMS was on

Nothing works.

I am glad to see the class action lawsuit. We shall see how long your post stays up. I'm thinking not long, i've had posts get taken off this board before. I also encourage everyone to do all of the steps (which will not help because Apple is doing this on purpose to punish us leaving their fold) and when they don't work, which they won't.....file with the Federal Trade Commision as well. I am now going to talk with an attorney as well, to see how class action suits work and see what kind of ground swell needs to happen in order to prosecute one. I'm willing to find an attorney who works for percentage to join this movement to sue.

Remember, there are many of us who closed everything out before switching and many of us who have called Applecare etc.....I had my number removed and still do not get group texts and occasionally do not get Iphone users texts on a single basis. They say that randomly their texts revert back to imessage for me and do not alert them that the text has not gone through. Apple (and all the fanboys out there) can deny this all they want but sooner or later, just like every other mass corporate scam, there will be a reckoning. I just need to move my $$$ out of Apple stock before it all gets messy.

Ok, my friend finally figured out a fix. Anyone who still can't text you, have them log into their icloud account on the web (icloud.com) and delete your contact from there and then re-add. Apple really needs to come up with a better system. When I switched it wasn't on bad terms but after this ordeal I'd never go back to an iPhone. Total garbage.