Help Texting Switched from Iphone

[KJL1990]

I just recently switched from an iphone to a Samsung Galaxy S7 edge for the first time. I have always been an iphone user and used imessage and icloud. After I switched, I made sure to turn off imessage, remove my phone from the icloud etc. However I still am still not able to participate in group chats with iphone users. I know this was a huge problem in 2014/15 but I thought apple had fixed their glitch. I made sure that people deleted my contact information and re-added it (which is a very dumb solution by Apple), yet it still doesn't work. I almost regret making the switch and may just switch back to an iphone because it is such a pain. I would think Android would have taken care of this because they really are being affected by Apple's monopoly with the iMessage.

A few friends that have made the switch before said to wait it out because after awhile it'll just fix itself, which makes no sense, or they just switched back to the iphone. Thanks for the help!

 

[svim]

It's not a glitch, this is just an ongoing fundamental problem with texting in general. SMS and MMS are not completely universal. Different services are not fully compatible with each other, Apple being one of most stubborn to not cooperate with other services. Texting simply is not like email where you can freely exchange emails no matter which mail service you're on, some texts just won't be transferable. It's not that Google couldn't make Android more 'iMessage-compatible', it's a matter of Apple not allowing other them to do so. Proprietary protocols are protected by copyrights and Apple is not shy about its lawsuits.

 

[Clementine_3]

If you are using the stock messaging app try a different one. I've had luck with Chomp (currently using), Textra and Hangouts. There are a bunch of others but those seem to work best for me.

I've read that if the iPhone users delete any text you are part of and start anew that helps. I can't say if it works or not because one of my sisters refuses to do that so I get 'left out' if she uses that one. Any others with different people work just fine, it's just the one main family list that she broke and refuses to fix!

It is an Apple thing, not Android. Supposedly a new protocol is being created/worked on. I'll believe that when I see it and it works. lol

 

[svim]

A new protocol that all the services will use as a standard is optimal, the problem being Apple currently has no incentive to change its ways. While it would be good for the general consumer, Apple's focus is on its own customers, non-Apple fans are irrelevant. There's undeniable benefits to a closed ecosystem like Apple's, not only financially but also from a developmental aspect, but being closed also means it cannot at the same time be open.

 

[AZgl1500]

That is why I won't consort with iPhone users

My son has an iPhone and we have never had a problem texting back/forth.
I use Textra and it works just fine even though I am on that 'other network' Verizon

He also uses WhatsApp when he has something that needs to stay underground, he will use that. His is a corporate iPhone and they don't condone the use/talk of guns..... their home office is in Germany, but he based out of Atlanta, GA. go figure.

 

[svim]

My son has an iPhone and we have never had a problem texting back/forth. I use Textra and it works just fine even though I am on that 'other network' Verizon

It's not that texting is completely closed off from one service to a different one, the is about complete, seamless compatibility. If Textra or any third-party app now enables group chats between platforms as the OP was asking about, or allows unfettered MMS transfers this is a breakthrough. As for WhatsApp, that just goes back to the original issue. It's a singular service that works really well as long as you and all your recipients are using the WhatsApp app, no matter what OS your device is running nor your online connection.

 

[KJL1990]

Thank you for the information. Unfortunately I feel like I have done everything. I regret my decision to change ha, even if the Samsung Galaxy is better.

 

[AZgl1500]

there are many ways to have chats w/o it having to be device dependent.
no point in you havimg to feel like you made a mistake.

IF your friends truly value you, they should be willing to install a different app, or use a different service.
and there are a lot of service type things that support group chats, Facebook being only one of them.

I never, ever, allow someone elses decision on what phone they use, to influence what I will use.

I think you made a smart decision cutting the leash loose from Apple and their $$$ thinking ways. I did just that back in 1982 when they were in their infancy still and wanted to charge me $350 for 16 mByte of RAM ???? not GigaBytes, just MegaBytes.

Pissed me off so bad, I sold 2 Apple IIGS, 2 Apple II+, 1 Mac512 all on the same day... for $3,000 bux at the time.... I turned around and went 286 and never looked back.