iMessage Notifications Across Devices

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Level 1

4 points

iMessage Notifications Across Devices

I have a MacBook pro mid 2014 edition, and iPod touch 5th generation, and an iPhone 6. I've come to notice that when I get messages (be it SMS or iMessage) sometimes I'll be notified on my computer first and then my phone, sometimes my phone first then my computer, etc. (the same concept applies when you add the iPod into the equation). So my question is, is this normal or should all devices be notifying me at the same time?

Edit: I made a mistake in placing the discussion, it's currently placed in Yosemite when it should be in Capitan. My apologies.

iPhone 6, iOS 9.3.2, null

Posted on Jul 5, 2016 7:56 AM

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Answer 1

Eric Root

Level 10

685,293 points

Jul 5, 2016 8:49 AM in response to jnd533

I've asked the hosts to relocate your post. Based on what I have read in discussions, what you are seeing is fairly normal.

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Answer 2

Jul 6, 2016 1:10 PM in response to jnd533

hi,

I would agree with Eric.

Based on my own reading of the posts here and my own experience the devices never have them in the same moment.

My iPad and iPhone can be within seconds of each other (iPhone generally "first").

The Mac always seems a little tardy in comparison.

The Mac will generally be behind on SMS as the iPhone is the Device that is getting them from the Carrier and sending them on via WiFi to the Mac.

That can depend on what exactly the iPhone is doing as well as getting SMS items.

An iMessages arrives at the server and is flagged to be delivered to as many devices as you have logged in.

In some ways it can be easier to think of them as copies fro each device.

As each devices accepts the iMessages it's "Copy" is deleted from the server (which means it can never be "recovered" by that device again).

Each device cannot access the iMessages "Copies" being sent to other devices.

It's never been entirely clear how much getting a sync version plays into this.

For example My Mac is set to send from the Apple ID (New Outgoing Messages only)

The iPhone is set to the iPhone Number.

If I specifically list my iPhone Number as the Contact my iPhone will ping before the Mac shows the sync "Received" side version.

This has made me wonder if the Mac might be "late" with iMessages sent to the iPhone Number as it then gets a sync "Copy".

Now there is a deal of Fuzzy Logic to this but that is partly to keep the ideas simple.

I hope it helps

9:10 pm Wednesday; July 6, 2016

 iMac 2.5Ghz i5 2011 (El Capitan)
 G4/1GhzDual MDD (Leopard 10.5.8)
 MacBookPro 2Gb (Snow Leopard 10.6.8)
 Mac OS X (10.6.8),
 iPhone and an iPad (2)

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Answer 3

Jul 6, 2016 1:17 PM in response to jnd533

I've got an iPhone, iPad, MacBook Air and an Apple Watch. They do not all notify me at exactly the same time. Nor is there a pattern that I've been able to discern about, which one beeps first. The exception is, if the only two devices I've got active are my iPhone and my watch and the screen of the phone is locked, all notifications come to the watch (as expected).

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