Database Info

Group MMS from iPhone to Android

Hello,
Just had a question. I sometimes receive "group mms" messages from friends with iphones who are on AT&T (i'm on verizon with a DX). It seems like the list of recipients isn't being sent along with the MMS. So it looks like a message that's directed at me, and not at a group of people. Also, this makes it difficult to respond to everyone that was on the original list for the message. Not to mention the fact that the individual replies from other people go into the list of text's between that person and I, and not into one viewable group conversation. I had this problem with an old feature-phone that i had as well, but just chalked that up to bad software. I've been searching here, on howardforums, and other places, but no one seems to know much about it. Has anyone else seen this, and is there anything that i can do about it?
Thanks in advance!

Hey djuniah,
I understand what you are saying. I have been having the same problem too. These are automated msg's sent out by the service providers.
I reckon, you contact your network provider and look into the processes. I did that when this problem was occurring and it was rectified.
Now, its no guarantee that you wont get another msg like it... but the network provider does his/her best to rectify it..
Hope this helps.

err, i don't think you understand what i mean. I'm talking about this scenario
Friend1 (with iphone on AT&T) -> Sends group mms to "Friend2, Friend3, and me"
Friend2 (with iphone on AT&T) -> Sees the message with all of the other people's names attached. When they reply, it goes to everyone in the group mms
me (droid x on verizon) -> I see the original message from friend1 in the same thread as all of my previous messages with friend1. When friend2 sent their reply, i see that message in the thread with all of my previous messages from friend2. When i want to reply, i have to reply to each of them individually, not as a group.
I called vzw and the operator there said he saw the same issue on his OG droid. I've assumed this was a network issue for a while now, but i was wondering if anyone had any solid info as to why it was happening and if there was anything we could do about it.

bump to top

This isn't network trickery, as far as I can see. It's Apple intelligently using the features built into MMS long ago to send a group message, have other iPhones handle that group message in a way that you can 'reply to all' like email.
Someone (Google, Go SMS, HandCent) needs to simply build the 'group' feature into their application so that it can properly see the recipients of the MMS as a Group and reply to all. If I go into the message details of one of these MMS messages on my Evo, I can see everyone that got the message... Now, the app just needs to look at that and do something with it.
It's very similar to Beluga... albeit not as functional.

Yeah, i had come to a similar conclusion once i started looking at the message details. If most of those texting apps can handle sending group messages, i don't see why they havent/cant build the ability to notice them coming in...

seems like a really simple and practical thing to have

Any luck with this issue>?
djuniah said:
Hello,
Just had a question. I sometimes receive "group mms" messages from friends with iphones who are on AT&T (i'm on verizon with a DX). It seems like the list of recipients isn't being sent along with the MMS. So it looks like a message that's directed at me, and not at a group of people. Also, this makes it difficult to respond to everyone that was on the original list for the message. Not to mention the fact that the individual replies from other people go into the list of text's between that person and I, and not into one viewable group conversation.
Has anyone else seen this, and is there anything that i can do about it?
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any luck with this issue? I noticed it works for BB users also. I have iPhone users, BB users, and EVO (Android) users on a Group MMS chat and it seems that only us Androids are not able to reply to the "Group". We can create a group on our end and batch text each user, but the messages are not received in their "group mms" screen, its on a direct individual one. Need to figure this one out so I can continue my "My phone is better than yours" war with my iPhone friends. Heheh.

bump this back up, i just got into this issue a few days ago, if i cant me sms agent to iphone in handcent would that do anything for me

bump
this is a growing problem for me, and for Android i fear...
of my closest 20 friends, 18 of us use Android, 1 blackberry, the rest iPhone... and the group SMS (really MMS) messages are common - PLUS - the one BB user can reply to all with their device. granted the BB reply looks like email the way it contains the whole message with headers in its reply, but still it can play the game.
i find it really surprising that simply threading the messages that come in to multiple recipients hasn't been addressed, and if i had the technical skill i would address it myself.
i am currently on an Atrix using Cyanogen's beta, and have an Inspire running the 7.1 RC.... i have tried both the native SMS/MMS apps, Handscent (though not recently) and love GOSMS Pro (though it seems to periodically send out duplicate texts for some reason).
i would love to find a way to thread my SMS/MMS messages with groups like the iPhone does so i can join these conversations instead of receiving any number of random replies from people and having to piece together the conversation. ANY help with this would be appreciated.

installing the vzw messenger app DID "solve" the problem for me. I prefer to use GOSMS Pro, but when i get a group message, i reply to it with the verizon one. However, now i get double the notifications from GOSMS. For some reason, it's pop-up thinks i got 2 messages instead of one (with the same content). This is far from ideal, but it does work.

what about outside of VZW?
i wish there was an app i could get my hands on like your VZW app, maybe its not perfect, but it gets you through the issue until something better comes along. being on the Atrix and the Inspire i'm with AT&T coming off an iPhone, and periodically having to go back if there's reason for me to play a role in some happening which is causing an unusually high number of group texts.
from what i can tell, Handscent and GOSMS Pro are really the only contenders in the platform-wide SMS/MMS alternatives, I'm surprised they've spent so much time focused on making their themes pretty instead of addressing this well documented but unaddressed issue.
has anyone else found other alternatives?

Bump
I've been looking for this for a year. Today an iPhone user asked me why is that we cannot reply to group messages. She's anoyed because she have to forward all the messages received from Androids to the rest of the group...

Group SMS / Group Text Messaging

I can't believe android doesn't have this feature down pact. I'm hoping its just me.
Is there a way to send a text message to multiple recipients and when any of them reply it shoes up in the same thread and not as its own seperate sms??? This way, you can "reply to all" the recipients and have an ongoing chat with all the SMS recipients in that thread.
Not sure if I am explaining the problem correctly, so if you get what I mean, feel free to elaborate.
I'm hoping there is an app or something to help with this primitive issue.
Also, I have tried a bunch if apps. I don't want to have a seperate number for texting or have to register for a service or anything out of the ordinary. Just want to be able to do group texting with my friends using my own number.
Thanks!
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA

mikers1 said:
I can't believe android doesn't have this feature down pact. I'm hoping its just me.
Is there a way to send a text message to multiple recipients and when any of them reply it shoes up in the same thread and not as its own seperate sms??? This way, you can "reply to all" the recipients and have an ongoing chat with all the SMS recipients in that thread.
Not sure if I am explaining the problem correctly, so if you get what I mean, feel free to elaborate.
I'm hoping there is an app or something to help with this primitive issue.
Also, I have tried a bunch if apps. I don't want to have a seperate number for texting or have to register for a service or anything out of the ordinary. Just want to be able to do group texting with my friends using my own number.
Thanks!
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use whatsapp for this kind of functionality. Similar technology as iMessaging in iOs and bbm in blackberry (duh)

Yes, I use what's app also and it works great! But I am trying to get this to work for the stock SMS in the Android OS like most other phones and OS's.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA

No you will need to use a 3rd party app link handcent SMS. The stick SMS app doesn't have this option. Even the 3rd party apps are still working on the feature as its not used by the vast majority of users.

Yea, I use Go SMS Pro and its great, but even that and Handcent can't handle group messaging. I thought (was hoping) the issue was me and not with the Android OS.
Its just the weirdest thing that such a great system can't handle group SMS.
Anyone else that may have found a way??
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA

mikers1 said:
Yea, I use Go SMS Pro and its great, but even that and Handcent can't handle group messaging. I thought (was hoping) the issue was me and not with the Android OS.
Its just the weirdest thing that such a great system can't handle group SMS.
Anyone else that may have found a way??
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Handcent has a new update out that is supposed to work. I dont know as I dont know anyone that uses it so have not been able to test myself. Android was made to be all the basics and anything more they left it up to 3rd party apps. Its all about people developing things for it like a linux system.
Do a search for the handcent update and in the last few posts will be a link to the version for group texting

Good point! That's what I love about android. But its still very weird that this hasn't been implemented.
Anyways, I will re-download the handcent app and give it a try again. Buy I remember seeing this "update" and also remember it not working correctly.
Thanks for the update. I will post if it works ...
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA

This feature is implemented in stock ICS sms app ... you dont have to use any third party app if you use ICS

Highfiveyo said:
This feature is implemented in stock ICS sms app ... you dont have to use any third party app if you use ICS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is not. In the stock ICS sms app. It is stated flat out in the AOSP code that it is not there. That is why 3rd party apps have to be used for the feature like the iphone.

Yes, it is not a stock ICS feature. I have two friends on iphone that are sending me group text and it is rather annoying to receive separate texts instead of having it grouped together.

having the same need
i'm having the same need..... anyone?

Also want this...looking for an option that doesn't require everyone in the group to be using the same app for messaging, Android/iOS combos, etc.
I have Handcent installed, but there is zero documentation that I can find regarding their recent updates to their Group text feature.
What I want is I send a message to a group, and all replies go to everyone in the group. Likely not going to happen across SMS apps/platforms.
What I'd settle for is I send a message to a group and all replies go back to that group conversation in Handcent. However, if someone in that group later (next hour/next day) sends me a text as a separate conversation I want that to come in on it's own, not in the group.

Yes! This is what this thread is all about.
This kind of functionality should be standard (especially for android).
The oldest blackberry I had would even do this. I can't understand why is seems difficult for someone to develop.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA

with go sms no prob.

Apparently the new update claims that it has it. I got it and tried to group text with android and iPhone users and it still didn't work. Did it work for you? Did u do something special (other then turning the feature on in the settings)??
Sent from my SGH-T989 using XDA

Been trying to figure this out for the past year. everyone group sms i've tried. same thing. going to try this group sms. will let you know.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mobappli.groupsms&hl=en

A friend of mine has a droid on Verizon and it was working the way OP described. It's called Verizon Messaging, can't verify i'm on Sprint.

I've had this same issue for about a year now. My friends have the Droid Bionic, and they can do group texting just fine from the stock SMS app. The text goes out in the group thread, and the incoming texts that have that same group of cell numbers go into the group thread.
But on my previous Droid X, this did not happen. And it didn't work in the GoSMS app for the longest time either. But GoSMS did recently add that feature (MMS texts to a certain group of cell numbers goes under the group thread). It did not work perfectly though. Each group text I received would make a notification sound twice: once when the text was received from the person, then again when the text was moved to the group thread. Annoying, but it worked.
Now, I just got the Samsung Galaxy S3 on Verizon, and I totally expected it to work perfectly with group texting. But I was wrong.
So I'll go through and try to figure out if GoSMS has fixed the double-notification problem yet or if Handcent or another SMS app will work with this. How frustrating!

If you use GroupMe it works perfect you can even add like a name to the group for what you're talking about etc. The other people don't even need to have the app it works as a regular sms as well but everyone can see the replies. I've used and it works great!!

I'm using go sms and the group texting works fine but every response I make basically gets repeated back to me and shows up in the group conversation. Does this happen for anyone else? How do i make it stop?

[Q] Group SMS

So on my iphone I could have group conversations with 3 other people and it would all be in the same conversation window, I but now, on my one x, when I try this it just sends to everyone individually. It works on my friends droid because he has the verizon messaging app which isn't available to att users (I think)
anyways I was just wondering if there was a simple solution to this (I've tried two 3rd party messaging apps with no luck)

Yeah, you're not gonna be able to get that, AFAIK. The "WhatsApp Messenger" app does this, but that's not actual text messaging, it's an IM app that uses your contacts phone numbers to identify them, and can only message other WhatsApp users.
Just for my own curiosity, when you would do this with your iPhone, would all the other participants be iPhone users? Or would it be a mixed bag of BB/Android/WP7/iPhone?

You should check out the app 'GroupMe'.
Great app that can do either real texting or over the internet messages.
The catch is, you have to message a 'Group number' and GroupMe then forwards that message on to everyone else.
This enables you to add/remove people to a conversation.
You can make these numbers private or public
I'm pretty sure they support every os and you can also just use their website to send messages.
It's all free which is the best part.

This is one of my biggest gripes with Android ICS. My Galaxy Nexus wasn't able to do group SMS either and, coming from an iPhone where I had lots of groups, it's a pain in the ass.
Also, using 3rd party apps that require every other person you want to chat with to also have the app is not a real solution. GroupMe is even worse than the rest b/c if someone EVER had the app (and no longer does) it doesn't recognize that and just doesn't deliver the message at all.

NextNexus said:
This is one of my biggest gripes with Android ICS. My Galaxy Nexus wasn't able to do group SMS either and, coming from an iPhone where I had lots of groups, it's a pain in the ass.
Also, using 3rd party apps that require every other person you want to chat with to also have the app is not a real solution. GroupMe is even worse than the rest b/c if someone EVER had the app (and no longer does) it doesn't recognize that and just doesn't deliver the message at all.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The awesome thing about GroupMe is you don't need the App at all. You can use their service purely through texting.

[email protected] said:
The awesome thing about GroupMe is you don't need the App at all. You can use their service purely through texting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You didn't read what I wrote. If someone EVER had the app and got rid of it then the app doesn't recognize that and simply doesn't deliver the message at all. This is even worse than simply not being able to message people who don't have the app b/c now the sender has no clue whether their messages were delivered to each recipient.

NextNexus said:
You didn't read what I wrote. If someone EVER had the app and got rid of it then the app doesn't recognize that and simply doesn't deliver the message at all. This is even worse than simply not being able to message people who don't have the app b/c now the sender has no clue whether their messages were delivered to each recipient.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I am not mistaken, If the user changed his settings through the web interface he could set it up to be texting only again.
I have never ran in to this issue personally. When I removed the App from my phone I would still get the messages, just not through texts until I switched the settings.
Sorry for not fully understanding the first time.

Group MMS Fix?

Does anyone know of any mod or ROM that will properly support group MMS in android as it is properly support on iPhone, WP7, and BlackBerry?
On the HTC One X the messages arrive properly but when I send a reply, it gets sent as an individual SMS. Interestingly, if I attach an image (thus forcing it to convert to MMS), it will reply-all correctly.
So I guess .... something has to be modified so that the OS knows to send as MMS (with text only) when responding to a group

Use goSMSPro or Handcent. Need to enable it in both.

jiggytom said:
Use goSMSPro or Handcent. Need to enable it in both.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I appreciate the suggestion. I dont want to put words int eh OPs mouth, but I think they were referring to a way to mod or update native software so that the native messages app works properly with MMS. for many people, using a 3rd party app for messaging is not preferable.
that said, there are threads running around XDA regarding installing the stock ICS messaging app. perhaps that would work properly with group messaging on HOX (I would assume but haven't tried).

The stock app doesn't work with group messaging either, to my knowledge but someone can correct me if I am wrong.
Moto BLUR software has this implemented in their messaging app. Don't think its that easy of a thing to do.
Basically the messages come in as MMS and they are grouped together by the software.

This is the worst if you came from an iPhone and have a lot of friends with iPhones. I get group texts daily so I had to download Go SMS. After enabling group texting in Go SMS the group messages are shown properly in the stock HTC messaging app, but I still need to use Go if I want to reply to the group texts.

Gtg you have a one x to? Awesome this is a good thing
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium

I've also been wondering this too.. I just installed Go SMS Pro but I still can't seem to get it to function like the iPhone would where its all in one conversation sort of like an online chat room. Hmmm anyone else have any tips?
edit: all working smooth now so happy.

jiggytom said:
The stock app doesn't work with group messaging either, to my knowledge but someone can correct me if I am wrong.
Moto BLUR software has this implemented in their messaging app. Don't think its that easy of a thing to do.
Basically the messages come in as MMS and they are grouped together by the software.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is good to know, thanks. So this issue seems to be isolated as a flaw in ICS, then, correct?

fitchpuckman said:
This is good to know, thanks. So this issue seems to be isolated as a flaw in ICS, then, correct?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't say its a "flaw", its just an unimplemented feature. Not sure why they never took the time to do it, it's pretty popular.

jiggytom said:
I wouldn't say its a "flaw", its just an unimplemented feature. Not sure why they never took the time to do it, it's pretty popular.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh okay, thanks. I wasn't sure if it was a bug or just not developed. Seems very odd that they didnt implement group MMS.

gtg465x said:
This is the worst if you came from an iPhone and have a lot of friends with iPhones. I get group texts daily so I had to download Go SMS. After enabling group texting in Go SMS the group messages are shown properly in the stock HTC messaging app, but I still need to use Go if I want to reply to the group texts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly this.
GoSMS is ok but is rather ugly, and crash-happy. What will happen is that a group message comes in, then gosms groups it into the threaded convo so I get 2 notifications for every 1 message. It's rather annoying. Handcent is even uglier.

I share your frustrations. I have tried ChompSMS since I used BiteSMS on the iPhone and it doesn't support MMS. I tried Handcent and the UI is cartoonish and it doesn't display contact photos correctly. The HTC messages app allows me to send a group MMS, but then I get individual replies back and it doesn't maintain the group.

Using at&ts message app and it does group txt, but you can't start one. It has to be sent to you first and from there it'll always reply to group
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA

gnabgibeht said:
Using at&ts message app and it does group txt, but you can't start one. It has to be sent to you first and from there it'll always reply to group
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The att messages app also butchers picture quality through mms. Send yourself one and see.

mochzr said:
Interestingly, if I attach an image (thus forcing it to convert to MMS), it will reply-all correctly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this. it's gotta be here. I hope the modders can figure a way of getting the phone to reply with an mms message, attachment free, when the message is sent within a group thread.

Bumping this thread.... anyway for a mod or an app that can force a text-only message to MMS when there are multiple recipients?? that's all I need :X

developer support requested
This would be PERFECT, especially if this pref could be added to stock SMS/MMS application. No need for Handcent or GoSMS, which are both ugly and unwieldy, IMHO.
mochzr said:
Bumping this thread.... anyway for a mod or an app that can force a text-only message to MMS when there are multiple recipients?? that's all I need :X
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

GO SMS group messages
GO SMS groups text messages like the iPhone does
Settings, Send settings, enable group MMS

dollypatel07 said:
GO SMS groups text messages like the iPhone does
Settings, Send settings, enable group MMS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GO SMS will slow down to a snail's pace if you have consecutive group texts coming in (which happens frequently as people are using it to converse).
It's slow, it's rather ugly, AND it gives you TWO notifications for every one group text. It's seriously terrible. WP7, WP8, BlackBerry, iPhone, all properly support Group MMS. Even some featurephones do it correctly as well.
I swear this has to be some kind of crazy oversight from Google or some kind of weird political war where no one will address such a simple issue. I mean if Verizon and AT&T can make an app that corrects this, then what gives??

Native SMS retarded -- google wake up!
mochzr said:
GO SMS will slow down to a snail's pace if you have consecutive group texts coming in (which happens frequently as people are using it to converse).
It's slow, it's rather ugly, AND it gives you TWO notifications for every one group text. It's seriously terrible. WP7, WP8, BlackBerry, iPhone, all properly support Group MMS. Even some featurephones do it correctly as well.
I swear this has to be some kind of crazy oversight from Google or some kind of weird political war where no one will address such a simple issue. I mean if Verizon and AT&T can make an app that corrects this, then what gives??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GO SMS is a NO GO as the OP has said. I agree Google is slacking here, or there has to be something else.
Is the raw code unavailable to developers to recompile and change the native text messaging application and it's MMS settings?

So why is their no group message support?

I dont understand why their is no group message support for our phones. I can create a group message but if i get a message from someone in that group it sends it me via their phone number not in the group message. Also if one of my friends makes a group message and im in it im not a part of it. I just get a text that acts like a slide show from their number. It works wonders on the iphone but yet on the most advanced phone they cant get a simple feature to work. So does anyone know a good txt message app that lets me do proper group messages?

WolfsFang said:
I dont understand why their is no group message support for our phones. I can create a group message but if i get a message from someone in that group it sends it me via their phone number not in the group message. Also if one of my friends makes a group message and im in it im not a part of it. I just get a text that acts like a slide show from their number. It works wonders on the iphone but yet on the most advanced phone they cant get a simple feature to work. So does anyone know a good txt message app that lets me do proper group messages?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only way to get the full group messaging functionality that I have found is using the Verizon Messages app. Its a little ugly but it works perfectly especially when group messaging with iphone users. Hope that helps.

Cause theirs not.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda premium

Go SMS Pro does the trick for me. I refuse any app from Verizon if I can.

devilchrist said:
Go SMS Pro does the trick for me. I refuse any app from Verizon if I can.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks i got this app and its just amazing what you can do with it.

I still don't receive group messages with go sms... Am I missing something? The verizon messaging app is hideous..

dclay89 said:
I still don't receive group messages with go sms... Am I missing something? The verizon messaging app is hideous..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me and my friends just use groupme. works with iphone, blackberry and android. Plus there is a web app.