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messaging app uses data & can message non app users?

Q

qwertqwerty

Lurker
Does an app exist that allows you to send messages over data instead of using sms' to people who do not have the app installed, ala imessages iPhone to iPhone? All the ones I have seen require the other person to have the app installed.
 
All iPhones have imessage installed, which is why Android can't receive them because Apple didn't make an app. It's the same way for almost any app I can think of. The other party needs to have the app installed or active. All Androids have Hangouts I think. You can use that.
 
imessage can only do that because the other iPhone has the app. The best feature of imessage in my opinion is that it checks if the recipient is connected before sending via data & if not sends as an sms instead. I don't know of any android apps that do that. Hopefully someone else might.

The best I can suggest is Hangouts. It will send & receive via sms or data. Will merge sms & data conversations with the same person and will indicate whether the person is available as well as showing you how far through the conversation the recipient has got.
 
chanchan05 said:
All Androids have Hangouts I think.
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Mine hasn't ;). Mind you, since I don't have a G+ profile or a Google Apps account it wouldn't be any use to me anyway - these restrictions may matter more, since there are probably more people who don't or can't use the app than there are who actually remove it.

I think it follows by definition though that with a data-based message app the other person needs the same app. Actually the same is true with SMS, but as that's a standard network feature everyone has that (unless there are still some US providers who disable it and then charge you to re-enable it?). So the best you can do is find an app which most of the people you want to contact will have and use that.
 
If you have a Google Voice number and use the Google Voice app (or Hangouts now that it is integrated) you will send/receive messages through your data connection. Whoever you send to will receive an SMS message however they normally do so.

You could also use the GroupME app which allows you to send/receive messages over data and your recipients would use their normal SMS apps. However it is more oriented to group chats.
 
It means they don't have Hangouts active (they've never opened it), or you're messaging an iPhone. Basically, there's no such thing as you are looking for, since even iMessage needs the other end to have the Apple Messaging app.
 
chanchan05 said:
Well he did say he wanted the message to go over data, so not sure if SMS being disabled has anything to do with it.
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I'm just surpassed there isn't an app that will take your message over data and then relay it via SMS. I would think surely with advertisements and the such they could make plenty of money. I would even pay for the app.
 
chanchan05 said:
Well he did say he wanted the message to go over data, so not sure if SMS being disabled has anything to do with it.
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He is referring to Settings within Hangouts (not phone Settings), which is what I was about to suggest.

OP: Make sure that Hangouts is set as the default SMS app. I use Hangouts every day to people not using Hangouts at the other end - trust me, it works. And before that, I did the same with Heywire.
 
Mr. Lucky said:
He is referring to Settings within Hangouts (not phone Settings), which is what I was about to suggest.

OP: Make sure that Hangouts is set as the default SMS app. I use Hangouts every day to people not using Hangouts at the other end - trust me, it works. And before that, I did the same with Heywire.
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You're missing the point. He wants people to receive messages he sends through data. If you enable SMS on Hangouts and send a message to someone who doesn't have Hangouts, it's gonna cost SMS credits, which he doesn't want.
 
chanchan05 said:
You're missing the point. He wants people to receive messages he sends through data. If you enable SMS on Hangouts and send a message to someone who doesn't have Hangouts, it's gonna cost SMS credits, which he doesn't want.
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No, you are missing my point. If he sends it from Google Voice via Hangouts, it will go to any SMS destination via data. Google Voice and SMS messages can be merged in a common thread (or "Hangout"). Setting Hangouts as default SMS (within the app) is only for incoming. Further, there is flexibility as to the default 'outgoing' method - always via GV over data, always SMS using your carrier account, or last-used. It's all in the settings.
 
If it has anything besides text, it uses data. You have to have a data plan or subscribe to the same service. I use Viber.

If you are sending text only, it goes with voice and any text enabled phone can receive it. The recipient might be charged by carrier and might not appreciate that.
 
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