When I receive a text message that was sent to a group of recipients, I am unable to "reply all". I am limited to replying only to the original sender. While I can send a text to a group of recipients, the ability to "reply all" is not there. I would like to upgrade to whatever Android device offers this basic functionality. I currently have a Galaxy S3 on T Mobile. Thanks.
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Group Messaging - Does any Android device support this?
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chanchan05
The Doctor
You have to set "group message as MMS"
I don't see this option. I have Android 4.1.2
I suspect the group message I receive are originating on an Iphone. I have no problem receiving the group message, but I can't reply all to them. The original message does not show all the original recipients either.
chanchan05
The Doctor
Ah I see. The original sender must have sent this via iMessage. If that's the case you're out of luck. The person's iPhone sees that you don't have iMessage, thus sends the message to you as a separate SMS. Android cannot access iMessage, as it's not cross platform and locked down by Apple for Apple devices only.
I loaded GOsms and when I look at message details, it at least shows the listing of the phone numbers the message was sent to for some of the sent message but not all. What I don't understand is if there are multiple phone numbers listed on message details, why there is no ability to "reply all" to those exact numbers.
This just seems like a crazy stupid problem. Text messaging shouldn't be this complicated.
This just seems like a crazy stupid problem. Text messaging shouldn't be this complicated.
Text messaging normally isn't complicated, but this is iMessage, which is proprietary to Apple iOS devices, like iPhones and iPads, and Macs with OS X Mountain Lion. If someone uses iMessage to send a message to a non-Apple phone it's received as a normal SMS. Apple does not license the iMessage technology to any third-parties
BTW I do have a Macbook with OS X Snow Leopard, but if I wanted to do iMessage, or Facetime, I would have to buy a new Mac.
EDIT me and all my friends and colleagues use WeChat for all our group messaging now, and ordinary individual messaging as well. in fact much more so now than straight SMS. Although WeChat is proprietary, it is available for just about all smart-phone and mobile OSs. iOS, Android, WinPhone, Blackberry, Symbian, etc.
Bump for Fall of 2014. This is unfortunately still a problem.
I am using a GS5 and GOSMS Pro. It's impossible to control what hardware and apps all my contacts choose, or are forced to use for messaging. I still have this problem where I reply to some group texts, but the reply only goes to the last sender, not all the recipients listed in the "details" of the previously received text. I do indeed have "MMS Group Chat" toggled to on in the settings.
If the separate phone numbers appear in the previous messages details, it should be possible to develop a messaging app that can "read" these messages, and offer a "reply all" feature that sends your reply to all of those numbers.
This problem is a pretty serious fail for Android as a broad community if you ask me. This shouldn't be happening in 2014.
I am using a GS5 and GOSMS Pro. It's impossible to control what hardware and apps all my contacts choose, or are forced to use for messaging. I still have this problem where I reply to some group texts, but the reply only goes to the last sender, not all the recipients listed in the "details" of the previously received text. I do indeed have "MMS Group Chat" toggled to on in the settings.
If the separate phone numbers appear in the previous messages details, it should be possible to develop a messaging app that can "read" these messages, and offer a "reply all" feature that sends your reply to all of those numbers.
This problem is a pretty serious fail for Android as a broad community if you ask me. This shouldn't be happening in 2014.
Stuntman
Android Expert
As far as I know, there is no standard way to handle group chats. Third party messaging apps and services use their own proprietary way of handling group chats. Unless there is a universal standard, you will be limited by whichever messaging app or service you use.
Even if Google comes up with a messaging service with group messaging that comes standard on Android, there is no guarantee that it will work universally. People with iPhones, Windows Phones, BlackBerrys or others may not use a messaging app that is compatible with the Android group messaging service.
Even if Google comes up with a messaging service with group messaging that comes standard on Android, there is no guarantee that it will work universally. People with iPhones, Windows Phones, BlackBerrys or others may not use a messaging app that is compatible with the Android group messaging service.
chanchan05
The Doctor
I don't think you understand how sms and mms works. It's an inherent problem of the sms protocol that it can only reply to one number. It's not an Android problem, it's in the nature of the sms service itself. Android did not invent the sms infrastructure, which is why it can't change its nature, nor can any app do that. That's why you need mms to send group messages.
For what it is worth I recommend GroupME from Skype. The big advantage of is that it inter-operates over SMS as well as its own app. Only the person setting up a group needs to use the app and/or sign up for GroupME.
Once they set up a group then group members will receive a text and all they have to do is respond to that number to participate in the group chat.
Once they set up a group then group members will receive a text and all they have to do is respond to that number to participate in the group chat.
AnonGuy
Android Enthusiast
Yes there is. MMS, which all generally recent smartphones support.
It isn't limited by which messaging app or service you use, unless you don't have an MMS plan.
Google has that, it's called Google Hangouts.
It has its issues (like media sharing support and Google+ encumbrance), but sending text messages to groups of people is not one of them.
In any case, I'd found it extremely hard to maintain usage of a third party messaging client, because everyone has Unlimited SMS/MMS and would rather not waste the Space and Power on their phones running third party apps. The need to create accounts for them is also a significant roadblock for users, especially those who do not own accounts from the parent company (i.e. it's easier to get a Gmail user to use Hangouts, that someone who only has a Microsoft or iCloud account and doesn't want the extra baggage).
MMS avoids most of those issues.
AnonGuy
Android Enthusiast
Almost forgot, Hangouts runs on iPhones, but it doesn't run on Windows Phones, Blackberries or Android Phones without Google Services on them (i.e. a lot of "Android Phones") so yes, that is an issue as well.
One that MMS avoids.
But there are alternatives that have less sign-up roadblock which make them slightly easier to sell (though I've had little to no luck with them) like WhatsApp.
Using a third party services means you have to sell it to your entire Social Circle, which may be extremely hard or trivially easy depending on which market you reside in (or send messages to most).
One that MMS avoids.
But there are alternatives that have less sign-up roadblock which make them slightly easier to sell (though I've had little to no luck with them) like WhatsApp.
Using a third party services means you have to sell it to your entire Social Circle, which may be extremely hard or trivially easy depending on which market you reside in (or send messages to most).
Stuntman
Android Expert
Hangouts seems to not have an MMS option. At least I can't seem to find it.
That does tend to be a hard sell sometimes. I do have a friend who used WhatsApp for a while and then stopped. The same with Hangouts. I find it difficult when I want to do group messaging with him as one of the recipients. I like Hangouts because I can tell who saw my messages. That is the feature I find to be really important when sending group messages. I find it to be an issue when you are doing a group discussion and don't realise that some people in the group hasn't seen the messages.
bjacks12
Android Expert
AnonGuy
Android Enthusiast
Some people may avoid Hangouts and other clients because of that feature. That is why Apple allows users to opt out of that. Some people simply do not want to broadcast when they read something, because it can lead to them being harassed by others when they do not respond quickly after reading a message.
SMS/MMS can do Delivery Reports, and they show up as a check box on the MMS message in Hangouts when it is delivered. It's pretty reliable, IME. MMS also supports Read Reciepts, but that depends on the Messaging Client to implement.
If you and your friends are on Verizon, you can subscribe to Integrated Messaging and that makes SMS/MMS function much like iMessage on your phone/PC/Tablet (Send/Delivered/Read, Typing Reports, Video Trimmer for Video MMS, Cross-Device Synchronization, etc.). You can even send/receive over WiFi. The App is pretty loaded with Functionality. Though that may be a + for you, I prefer leaner software.
I'm contemplating switching to T-Mobile for WiFi Calling/Texting, as that would solve most of my "problems" with "Messaging" - SMS/MMS failures due to poor reception at home and Long send times for MMS.
Stuntman
Android Expert
That's interesting. I have never heard anyone I know complain about that before. I generally don't harass anyone for not responding after they read a message. I would only harass if I'm expecting a reply by a certain time and didn't get one.
I think I did try playing around with that before, but I didn't notice or didn't know how to check them. Maybe I'll try it again if I get around to it. I think I turned it on before, but didn't notice anything.
If you and your friends are on Verizon, you can subscribe to Integrated Messaging and that makes SMS/MMS function much like iMessage on your phone/PC/Tablet (Send/Delivered/Read, Typing Reports, Video Trimmer for Video MMS, Cross-Device Synchronization, etc.). You can even send/receive over WiFi. The App is pretty loaded with Functionality. Though that may be a + for you, I prefer leaner software.
We are in Canada.
AnonGuy
Android Enthusiast
Other carriers may have a similar features. Some in Europe have an equivalent feature to Verizon's Integrated Messaging.
It makes SMS/MMS functionally superior to IM services like Hangouts (Sent/Delivered/Read, Typing Notifications, Group Messaging, Media Trimming and Sharing, Synched and Usable from other devices, etc. All over Wi-FI).
It's worth asking the carrier if the offer it or something equivalent to it.