Please Recommend a Good Multi-Client Messaging/Chat App

[Phoenix777]

Hi! I have friends who I would like to stay in touch with while not signed into multiple apps. For instance, I don't want to have to sign into Twitter, FaceBook, Skype, Gmail, Yahoo, etc. every time I want to chat with my friends there, so I'm looking for a good multi-client messaging/chat app where I can keep in touch with them regardless of what messenger they use (Gmail chat, Yahoo IM, Skype, etc.). Any recommendations?

(I have a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 running KitKat.)

 

[Phoenix777]

No one knows any good multi-client chat/messaging apps?

 

[mikedt]

There was one posted by the dev in Application Announcements a couple of weeks ago. A client for multiple social and massaging networks. It should still be there. Skype may not be possible, as Microsoft locked out all third-party clients a few years ago, and does not provide a Skype API.

If you want to trust a third-party app from an unknown dev with all your usernames and passwords. Use at your own risk.

There is Fring.
http://www.fring.com/
I did use this years ago, so not sure what it's like now or what it supports.

 

[Phoenix777]

There was one posted by the dev in Application Announcements a couple of weeks ago. A client for multiple social and massaging networks. It should still be there. Skype may not be possible, as Microsoft locked out all third-party clients a few years ago, and does not provide a Skype API.

If you want to trust a third-party app from an unknown dev with all your usernames and passwords. Use at your own risk.

There is Fring.
http://www.fring.com/
I did use this years ago, so not sure what it's like now or what it supports.

Thank you but I'm not quite ready to trust unknown sources that I'm not familiar with. Is there anything you recommend from Google Play Store?

 

[svim]

There is no 'universal' texting app because licensing/patent restrictions prevent this. The problem with texting is there are too many proprietary protocols that some companies rely on as their defaults. All the text apps can use the common SMS/MMS standards to interact with each other but the default protocol for Apple's iMessage is restricted to only those in the Apple ecosystem, the default protocol of WhatsApp users is restricted to other WhatsApp users, and so on. So while there's always going to be some interactions between all the different texting services but at this point it's still just some. Texting is a fractured environment, not like email that can be freely exchangeable between different brands, platforms, services, etc. Using iMessage as an example, you can freely exchange SMS but when it comes to native iMessages, those are limited to other iMessage users so things like group texts require at least one of the 'group' to manually include non-iMessage users using SMS (which can be an added expense as any iMessage to iMessage takes place through Apple servers and does not involve any added costs while, depending on the carriers involved, SMS frequently does.)

 

[Phoenix777]

There is no 'universal' texting app because licensing/patent restrictions prevent this. The problem with texting is there are too many proprietary protocols that some companies rely on as their defaults. All the text apps can use the common SMS/MMS standards to interact with each other but the default protocol for Apple's iMessage is restricted to only those in the Apple ecosystem, the default protocol of WhatsApp users is restricted to other WhatsApp users, and so on. So while there's always going to be some interactions between all the different texting services but at this point it's still just some. Texting is a fractured environment, not like email that can be freely exchangeable between different brands, platforms, services, etc. Using iMessage as an example, you can freely exchange SMS but when it comes to native iMessages, those are limited to other iMessage users so things like group texts require at least one of the 'group' to manually include non-iMessage users using SMS (which can be an added expense as any iMessage to iMessage takes place through Apple servers and does not involve any added costs while, depending on the carriers involved, SMS frequently does.)

Then why do some apps say you can message ppl cross-platform/cross-client regardless of what device is used?
P.S. I don't mean SMS.

 

[svim]

Which apps are you referencing specifically? Even excluding SMS and MMS, not all services rely on closed proprietary protocols.

 

[Phoenix777]

Which apps are you referencing specifically? Even excluding SMS and MMS, not all services rely on closed proprietary protocols.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.shapeservices.impluslite&hl=en

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.imo.android.imoim

 

[svim]

I still don't see what your referring to that counters what wrote up previously. You want a black and white solution but there's nothing but grey available.

 

[tube517]

A long time ago, I used to use this:

https://www.trillian.im/

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ceruleanstudios.trillian.android&hl=en


This may be what you are looking for but again, I don't know what it is like now or what similar apps are used.

 

[mikedt]

I'm sure the problem is that many of the protocols used by things like, Skype, iMessage, WhatsApp, Line, Wechat, etc. are completely proprietary, secret, and don't have any API that third-party apps can hook into.

Also especially something like Microsoft, Tencent or Apple, anyone dare try to reverse engineer them and do a compatible universal messaging app, would likely incur the wrath of the corporate attorneys, cease and desists, etc

 

[Phoenix777]

I'm sure the problem is that many of the protocols used by things like, Skype, iMessage, WhatsApp, Line, Wechat, etc. are completely proprietary, secret, and don't have any API that third-party apps can hook into.

Also especially something like Microsoft, Tencent or Apple, anyone dare try to reverse engineer them and do a compatible universal messaging app, would likely incur the wrath of the corporate attorneys, cease and desists, etc

But there are a lot of third-party apps that do indeed incorporate Skype, iMessage, etc. ... all into one messaging app. I just don't know which one is the best so I thought I would ask for recommendations. Guess I'll try a few different ones...

 

[mikedt]

But there are a lot of third-party apps that do indeed incorporate Skype, iMessage, etc. ... all into one messaging app. I just don't know which one is the best so I thought I would ask for recommendations. Guess I'll try a few different ones...

They might claim to incorporate Skype, iMessage, etc. but if they actually do work or not is another matter, certainly with iMessage or Wechat.

I'd be careful about putting any account details and passwords in them. Maybe setup some test accounts in case they're only trying to steal your stuff.

 

[svim]

Then why do some apps say you can message ppl cross-platform/cross-client regardless of what device is used?
P.S. I don't mean SMS.

Once you exclude SMS and MMS, your options are limited to proprietary, like-to-like messaging services.

 

[Phoenix777]

Once you exclude SMS and MMS, your options are limited to proprietary, like-to-like messaging services.

That's what I'm looking for precisely - not SMS ... just a chat/instant message app.

 

[tube517]

What specific chat apps/programs are you using (or the people you chat with)?


AIM? Yahoo? Skype? Whatsapp? Google Hangouts?

Six years ago when I bought the OG EVO 4G, we didn't have FB messenger, whatsapp, viber yet.

Skype was still very buggy and didn't have an android app. I was using AIM and Yahoo for work and for relatives overseas. Now, don't even need those anymore. Whatsapp, FB Messenger, and Viber are what I use now for free.

 

[Phoenix777]

What specific chat apps/programs are you using (or the people you chat with)?


AIM? Yahoo? Skype? Whatsapp? Google Hangouts?

Six years ago when I bought the OG EVO 4G, we didn't have FB messenger, whatsapp, viber yet.

Skype was still very buggy and didn't have an android app. I was using AIM and Yahoo for work and for relatives overseas. Now, don't even need those anymore. Whatsapp, FB Messenger, and Viber are what I use now for free.

I use mostly Skype and Yahoo...however, my friends use a wide variety - some are on Skype, Yahoo, AIM, Twitter, Facebook, Whatsapp, etc. So I wanted an app where I would be able to chat with them while on this app and they are their said apps. Remember Adium back in the old days? You could just be on that one app and still chat with your friends regardless of what app THEY were using. That's what I'm looking for...

 

[Maikgarberd]

Great decision so far guys for choosing a good chat app without logging social media sites. No problem Try with ChatWing that have a great feature for iPhone and iOS device. You can easily chat with different guys at a time using ChatWing chat app.

Hope that help!