Set default sms app in Android 4.4 - still getting double messages

[skaurus]

Hi!

I have a ZTE Nubia Z5s mini phone with latest official ROM, it's 4.4.2 based.
Also I have a problem)

I have installed 8sms messaging app; upon opening it warned me that current sms app is Nubia Contacts and offered to change it. So I did - changed default sms app to 8sms.
But I nevertheless I was receiving double messages and double notifications.
So I went to Nubia Contacts, sms settings. Turned off sms notification and mms auto-retrieve.
No double notifications, but *still double messages*, darn.
Disabled stock app alltogether - no double messages, I'm happy.
But after a few days I have noticed that I can't create new contacts. Weird... After poking for a few days I realised that basic contacts service was provided by Nubia Contacts too.
So I have to reenable it - contacts working, but I have double messages again.

I tried to set Nubia Contacts as default sms app - with thought that I'll still be using 8sms app as a frontend - but when 8sms isn't selected as default it doesn't allow me to write any messages and even doesn't mark received ones as viewed. And shows a huge warning

Is there any other actions I could try to use third-party sms app normally?

 

[Hadron]

I think "double messages" is a misunderstanding of how this works. There is a single message database, and all SMS apps can read it. Prior to 4.4 all SMS apps could write to it as well, which meant that any SMS app you had installed could be used to send messages as well as read them. However, with 4.4 only the "default" SMS app can write to it, and thus only that app can send (as you found out). So you aren't receiving double messages, just have 2 apps that can see the same message. Just ignore the one you don't want to use and the "problem" goes away.

What is odd is that setting 8SMS as default didn't stop notifications from your built-in app. That suggests that the manufacturer's app is not playing by the rules - bad coding by ZTE I'm afraid. But turning the notifications off yourself would be enough to stop that.

From your description I do wonder whether ZTE have integrated their contacts and messaging apps - these are normally distinct apps, but from the way you describe it they sound like they are more closely connected on your phone (the contacts app wanting to be the default SMS app, enabling/disabling one affecting the other). If that's so, and not just a misunderstanding on my part, that's also something unusual that ZTE have done.

Anyway, while it seems like ZTE may have made this more complicated than it would otherwise be, there's actually nothing to worry about here, and by disabling notifications from the stock app you can use the 3rd party app normally.