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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
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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
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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
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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?

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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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
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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
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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?

Group text messaging?

I was just wondering if we will be able to ever get true group messaging like the setting applies within the messaging app. One feature I liked in the iphone (I think iOS5) was when I have a group convo with someone all of the messages from the different people will appear in the same thread. In the Galaxy S 3 it sends it out as a group message but when I receieve the message it goes into its own separate thread and not just that I would only get the text from the person that started the group message. Is this a simple glitch or is the whole option just really misleading?

blackguy101 said:
I was just wondering if we will be able to ever get true group messaging like the setting applies within the messaging app. One feature I liked in the iphone (I think iOS5) was when I have a group convo with someone all of the messages from the different people will appear in the same thread. In the Galaxy S 3 it sends it out as a group message but when I receieve the message it goes into its own separate thread and not just that I would only get the text from the person that started the group message. Is this a simple glitch or is the whole option just really misleading?
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Id also like to know if we will be able to do this. My droid razr did this and it was great since all my friends have iphones
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S3

jkat797 said:
Id also like to know if we will be able to do this. My droid razr did this and it was great since all my friends have iphones
Sent from my Verizon Galaxy S3
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Exactly! which is why im just hoping an update comes soon! (even though Verizon sucks when it comes to that) or at least a modder finds a way to fix this problem if thats even possible that is

I use GoSMS, works great, not as clean interface as standard messaging app but having a MMS is more imporatnt to me.

VZ Messages
I use the VZ Messages app from the Play store (free). It works perfectly and has pop-ups. It seemed to work much better with group SMS than GoSMS did.

Definitely check out groupme. www.groupme.com and the app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/...251bGwsMSwxLDMsImNvbS5ncm91cG1lLmFuZHJvaWQiXQ..
It lets people with dumb phones get in on the action. Everybody texts once central number, and texts are redistributed from the same number to everybody else and includes the name of the sender (which you can assign...pretty fun)
Downside being that people have to accept the group and add this number to contacts as "Bros" or whatever you want it to be. Couldn't be more effective for my needs though.

chris98891 said:
Definitely check out groupme...
It lets people with dumb phones get in on the action. Everybody texts once central number, and texts are redistributed from the same number to everybody else and includes the name of the sender (which you can assign...pretty fun)
Downside being that people have to accept the group and add this number to contacts as "Bros" or whatever you want it to be. Couldn't be more effective for my needs though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does it work for MMS as well? I couldn't see where it said one way or another on their website.

devilchrist said:
I use GoSMS, works great, not as clean interface as standard messaging app but having a MMS is more imporatnt to me.
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I'm in 2 group texts with 5 in each. I get on average of 60+ texts a day and the damn program LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGS. I would love an alternative.
chris98891 said:
Definitely check out groupme. www.groupme.com and the app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/...251bGwsMSwxLDMsImNvbS5ncm91cG1lLmFuZHJvaWQiXQ..
It lets people with dumb phones get in on the action. Everybody texts once central number, and texts are redistributed from the same number to everybody else and includes the name of the sender (which you can assign...pretty fun)
Downside being that people have to accept the group and add this number to contacts as "Bros" or whatever you want it to be. Couldn't be more effective for my needs though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't like Groupme because it is a different phone number. I do however like the interface.

I use go sms but it doesn't group real well, I always assumed it was the way they responded. maybe I'll check out be messenger.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using xda app-developers app

Verizon Messages 11/19 update

So Verizon just pushed an update to their Messages app, which was a great replacement for the stock messaging app for several reasons. Unfortunately, all of the color customization options and popup notifications have been removed. I have no idea why they would do that, but it's terrible! I'll still use it though because it handles MMS group texts (with iPhone users) very well, unlike the stock app.
Anyone else use this? Anyone else bummed out by the latest update/regression?

US Marine said:
So Verizon just pushed an update to their Messages app, which was a great replacement for the stock messaging app for several reasons. Unfortunately, all of the color customization options and popup notifications have been removed. I have no idea why they would do that, but it's terrible! I'll still use it though because it handles MMS group texts (with iPhone users) very well, unlike the stock app.
Anyone else use this? Anyone else bummed out by the latest update/regression?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would install it when I got group messages but i'd uninstall after.
The notifications/pop-ups can be turned off but the default notifications won't appear. It's nice and I wish other SMS apps/CM10 could handle or implement the group feature so I wouldn't have to download this app.

1xmattx1 said:
I would install it when I got group messages but i'd uninstall after.
The notifications/pop-ups can be turned off but the default notifications won't appear. It's nice and I wish other SMS apps/CM10 could handle or implement the group feature so I wouldn't have to download this app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The pop-ups have been completely removed in the latest update, which was one of the major reasons to use the app!
I use group text a lot. I just got this GS3, so I'm still feeling it out. On my last phone (GS1), I used GoSMS Pro, which worked great except that I would get two notifications every time I got a group text. Once for recieving the text, and then another once GoSMS realized it's a group text and moved it into a group thread. That was annoying!

Hangouts Group messages not sending

Anyone having issues with this? The verizon messaging app works great. except for the fact that if I want to share something I can't load up a current group chat like I can in Hangouts. and the app randomly shows a notification count on the lock screen that isn't accurate...
I didn't have these issues on my M7... I don't like the stock messaging app because its horrible with group MMS along with the fact that I haven't found another messaging app like Hangouts that lets you choose a current conversation when you click "share" on a picture or something. All the others make you type in the recipients, and going back to typing in 3-4 people every time I want to send something to the group isn't really a thing I want to do again....
I've read APN changes may help but I haven't been able to get any to actually stick around on the M8. open to ideas... kind of frustrating.

meest said:
Anyone having issues with this? The verizon messaging app works great. except for the fact that if I want to share something I can't load up a current group chat like I can in Hangouts. and the app randomly shows a notification count on the lock screen that isn't accurate...
I didn't have these issues on my M7... I don't like the stock messaging app because its horrible with group MMS along with the fact that I haven't found another messaging app like Hangouts that lets you choose a current conversation when you click "share" on a picture or something. All the others make you type in the recipients, and going back to typing in 3-4 people every time I want to send something to the group isn't really a thing I want to do again....
I've read APN changes may help but I haven't been able to get any to actually stick around on the M8. open to ideas... kind of frustrating.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think they're going to have to update the app for MMS to work properly. The same thing happened with the M7 when Hangouts originally launched.