App for group texting non Android users

[kimberlyd86]

My coworkers often group text each other and I feel left out because the texts come through as an mms. A button appears that says download, but clicking download will not make it download, it will make it say download forever.

This happens when people try to send me pictures as well. Sometimes it will come through, usually if I'm not using my phone at the time of the text and if I'm near a strong signal. Most of the time, I never see the content if these texts or see the photos, unless I can get the person to email it to me instead. (Hassle!!)

This is a known problem with no known solution for me. I've looked it up, tried various things. I'm sick of it.

I think the best solution would be for me to use a different messaging app, one designed for group texts, but that doesn't require all parties to have the app.

Does such an app exist?

Most of them have iPhones, one has an Android, some LG model from 7-11. I have Samsung Galaxy 3, but his piece of crap allows group texting no problem.

Please help me figure this out!

 

[Clementine_3]

I think the best solution would be for me to use a different messaging app

Probably I've used Chomp (current), Textra and Hangouts most recently (went through a lot over the years!) and find them to be the best for MMS.

Most of them have iPhones

This could very well be the issue. iMessage won't play nice with non-Apple phones, if the iPhoners aren't set up right you'll never get the messages (or they will be messed up). It's the bane of my existence since most of my family use iPhones. Ugh.

So yeah, try a different app...there are a ton of them out them, all with pluses and minuses. You may have to try a few to see what you like and don't and what works or doesn't.

 

[Hadron]

The only things that will work that don't require everyone to have the app are standard protocols, i.e. SMS and MMS. Many systems use MMS by default for group messages (I turn this off in my message app, but you can't control what others do), so if you also have problems with pictures then it's possible that your problem is with MMS generally. So Clem's suggestion that you find an app that works for MMS on your phone is a good one.

I'd also check your APN settings, since some networks use a different APN for MMS from that they use for data. Hence if your network does that it's possible for you to have MMS messed-up but data still working. You should be able to find your carrier's APN settings from their website somewhere.

 

[aysiu]

I've had good luck using Hangouts with group texting iPhone users.

 

[AZgl1500]

so far, Textra has always worked for me.

but, I don't know many folks with an iPhone...

my son has one, and he sends me pictures all the time, and they come thru just fine.

both on a S5 and my current Note 4.

but, I don't ever send/receive group texts... that is what forums are for.

 

[svim]

My coworkers often group text each other and I feel left out because the texts come through as an mms. A button appears that says download, but clicking download will not make it download, it will make it say download forever.

Does such an app exist?

No, such an app does not exist, so don't drive yourself crazy looking for one. Yes as others have already mentioned there are the industry common standards, SMS and MMS, but there are just too many competing services, along with countless apps to choose from that different platforms use as their default. The fundamental issue is with so many different services using their own proprietary standards there simply is not any single one that they all can or will default to. SMS and MMS are common standards but there are inherent weaknesses to both that push different services to use their own standards as their default.
SMS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Message_Service#Unreliability
MMS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multimedia_Messaging_Service#Challenges

The best example of a texting service tied to a single company is Apple's iMessage. It's closed, proprietary, and Apple does not allow competing services to enable compatibility with it. Also, Apple has absolutely no incentive to do so. It's become a powerful, immensely rich company not by focusing on the common good or even just cursory compatibility but by making a closed ecosystem for its own users. Regarding iMessage, yes others can exchange basic SMS and MMS but that's in a way irrelevant, by default it uses the iMessage protocol (so those group textings your friends are doing would require one of them to manually resend each exchange to you as SMS/MMS).

At one time email was the common link between everyone, it's become universally compatible and well established. But the trend to texting as the next 'common link' is an unstable one. In email's early days it was the same problem, different services worked only among themselves but when it became apparent that was a problem POP and then IMAP became unifying protocols. But that was a different time, decades ago now. Despite there being an obviously similar problem with texting and its incompatibilities, there's no indication corporate influences are going to allow texting to become as seamless as email as a way of communicating. Financial gain is more important than consumer benefit.

 

[RazzMaTazz]

I used to have that (iPhone group messaging) problem on my old LG phone, but I no longer have that problem with the stock messaging app on my Galaxy S5. If none of the suggested apps work, it might be time for a phone upgrade.