Although much has been made of the iPhone’s visual voicemail system, we haven’t seen a lot of coverage of the device’s approach to texting.
Apple’s software design for SMS recognises that many/ most of us often to get into text-message conversations with our friends, which are more like instant messaging. So, just as in an IM client like MSN or Skype, the iPhone tracks your SMS exchanges in speech bubbles, allowing you to scroll back easily and see what people wrote. On top of that, multiple text chats can be stored (listed by contact name), so that you can re-start a prior chain at a later date. Text entry is done via a QWERTY virtual keyboard, which of course also supports the iPhone’s multi-point touch sensitive screen. Nice, huh?
For more on the iPhone’s capabilities as a phone, click to Apple’s page here.
Big disadvantage in my eyes? I cannot find a way to send out a txt message to multiple people. I have a group of friends that I constantly txt with, and now I have to type a message 6-8 times to get it to everyone? I hate this.
You really can’t add multiple recipients to a text? It seems strange (and disappointing/ annoying) that Apple would make such a big deal about voice conferencing, but then not enable text conferencing.
This is a very annoying omission on Apple’s part. The fact that I cannot send the same text to multiple users is at the very least upsetting, and at most very aggrevating.
I am astounded at the fact that I cannot send multiple recipients a text message. I love my iPhone. I hate this oversight. Seems like it would be an easy fix. I hope it comes quickly.
Can’t send multiple texts on Iphone, hopefully the next release of iphone sodtware fixes this oversight. I like sending multiple texts and this seems to me to be a big oversite by apple.
cant you go to the outbox and change the recipients name so atlest you dont have to rewrite the whole text??
You can’t, no outbox.
I’m sure they’ll fix it with the first update. At least the updates will be easy, I’m sure you’ll sync one time and it’ll download and update automatically.
When I bought the pocket pc, it had a lot of things you wished it would have… then they allll were fixed with the first update.
Is this fixed yet! This sucks. What about the earphone jack and the stupid sync only uploading option. I feel like apple is turning inot big brother.
The sync-only (rather than having the option of manually updating as you can on an iPod), is really weird - we’re concerned that this could be the way Apple goes with the iPod too.
Let’s hope that Apple is hearing the feedback from its users and working on software updates. That’s something it’s pretty good at with the Mac operating system, so we’re trying to be glass-half-full about it at the moment.
Not sure if they’ll “fix” the texting to multiple people. Currently iChat their Mac IM client only allows you to IM one person at a time, even though you can audio chat with something like 8 people and video chat with 3.
This really sucks in an office where 30 people have Macs and you want to send an alert to the whole office.
Have you considered airhorns?
sorry mbono, but you are incorrect. iChat supports multiple-person chats simply by selecting multiple buddies and pressing ENTER to start a group chat with all those [buddies] selected.
I still can’t believe that a month after owning my iphone. I STILL can not send an SMS message to more than one person. Basically, I guess I’ll have to carry my Treo and do a sim swap in order to txt multiple. Seems crazy that apple does not want me to txt more than one person at a time. Absolutely crazy! Some people said you can txt multiple by creating a group in contacts but I don’t see how that would work either. It doesn’t work. The 1st iphone update was released yesterday and guess what. SMS still sucks on the iphone. This is a MAJOR missing feature, made even worse by the fact I can’t forward a message I already typed (no outbox), I can’t paste a message I already type (no copy and paste anywhere on this phone). Please fix this in an update SOON!
Yes, this is a major malfunction. I have sent an email to someone I know at Apple along with a copy of this conversation thread. Cross you fingers everyone- this oversight makes me want to return the phone honestly. Lots of great things with it, but this is a real drag….
I am so aggrivated! I changed my phone number and I have to type it like 200 times to let my contacts know about my new number!
The worst part is that once you send a SMS; it wont let you forward it to other contact. At least it should allow you to copy and paste the message. There is no such thing about making groups in the contact area, so that is not an option too.
No copy and paste…unbelievable !!!
Treo is way better at this. My iPhone has been great for some things, but this is a major oversight.
If you use SMS and groups, don’t buy the iPhone. This wasn’t in the first or 2nd patch.
The fact that I can’t send MMS text messages or receive them and then the fact that I can’t message more than one person at a time, this is just maddening. Why didn’t I hear about this before I bought this phone?? I love it, but this is enough to make me long for my razr back.
I returned my iphone a week ago because of the totally inadequate sms features. Pathetic.
Iphone needs an Outbox function as at moment you need to wait on the text sending, whereas with the Nokia 6280 its sends in the background allowing you to do other tasks.
Also no function to Use Detail from within a recieved text - like a contact number to add to contacts
Like the conversation function, but lacks in alot of standard functions that a mobile user would expect as a default.
I bought my Iphone about a week ago and it never occurred to me that you wont be able to send an sms to multiple reciepents at the same time, niether would you be able to forward you sms’. I was shocked. Its like having a huge beast with the brains of a chicken. Its a shame what Apple is doing. They have made such a powerful and versitile device but they are destroying its potential by eliminating such basic features as those found in every basic mobile device these days. Further more, They have also missed out on the copy/paste feature. What the hell are the think tanks at apple thinkin of.
iPhone is NOT a phone. Not even a cell phone. It lacks all functionality modern call phones have. It’s a nice mobile appliance, cool stuff. Nothing more (nothing less) than that.
Why use iTunes to sync contacts? Why can’t I see contacts in my SIM card? Why can’t I SMS to multiple recipients? Why not use iPhone as a pen drive?
Come one Steve, you can do a great job turning the iPhone into a real killer cell phone.
how can u send a message to multiple persons using an iphone? and how can u forward a message? help me guys.. and is there an option in the iphone that can delete all contacts at once? coz i want to delete all my contacts and can’t seem to find that option in my iphone…
worst part of this phone is that you cant forward your any msg funny or serious information most of high end mobile users play with sms and how rand d deptt. of app;e ignoerd this one
dr pradeep kumawat
It is simply unbelieveable that some of the most basic of functions of a mobile phone isn’t implemented on the iPhone. I am constantly the butt of jokes amongst my friends regarding phones because I paid so much for it but yet I can’t group txt; I can’t select and delete multiple emails at once; I can’t record video; and god forbid I zoom in when taking pictures. It seems that Apple likes to be the innovator(which they are in so many ways) but they also like to do away with basic functionality. Apple probably thinks of it as iPhone owners will be so amazed at all the inovations they’ve applied on the phone that we wouldn’t really care about the basics. Wrong! Apple. I love the phone and wouldn’t trade it for anything else but I think it needs a whole lot of minor improvements.
the sms thing in iphone is making me mad! if my iphone wasnt a gift i would smash it in pieces! i long for my old old great nokia 6111. iphone is not a phone at all, just crap!
What about a DELIVERY REPORT!! There no way to know if a message reached its destination or not. It seems like prople at apple really hurried up to put this phone on the market and did not have enough time to implement all the features a $500 phone should. I have a $35 Panasonic phone and it has got all the SMS features I can possibly imagine. My other guess is that Apple made us happy with some cool graphic (the touch screen thing and the virtual keyboard is really nothing new.. Palm has had these technology or similar for the last decade. What is Apple talking about?), and just as any other devices on today’s market will keep us consumers waiting and addicted to their products. So when an SMS update from Apple will be released we will feel “This is cool… I can sms multiple recipients and get delivery report!”. It is just a marketing tactic.. and we all fell and will continue to fall for it. Our stupid brain, on the contrary of many other body organs that have the ability to defend/protect themselves, has no way to react and protect itself and just accepts anything in. Apple and many other companies know this about us consumers and take advantage of it. I got myself an iPhone because it is pleasant to look at it and it has got a lot of efficiency in handling things…but it is annoying to hear that this is a break through technology when Palm, as I said, had it already.
THere was some barking on the Apple discussion sites that you should have shopped more carefully before buying you iphone. The ability to text multiple recipients and send pics is so basic to cell phone function that its like saying you should have shopped more carefully for your car when you found it had no brakes!!!
Question is: Is this something that can/will be fixed with a soft/firmware patch?
I just found out about this limitation today and am completely blown away. I want my Razr back, even if I can’t see the screen in daylight
In the Uk O2 wiil do there brains over the multi sms sending issue cos coupled up with the fact that you cannot forward a funny gag to all your pals at once is for goodness sake the worst nightmare since Elm street!!!
WHY CAN’T I SEND MULTI TEXTS. It’s bloody anoying when you have to tell everyone that that you have a new number! The most annoying fault by far!!
I can’t believe that Apple is making a phone that is unable to send SMS to multiple numbers or forward a SMS and it’s also not possible to Cut and Paste text, so the iPhone is quite hard to use.
It was a chock to recognize that this phone had such big missing functions which made the phone unusable - what a mistake…..
Maybe they forgot to implant the SMS function and just remember it before they release the phone and then make a application in hurry - who knows!!
Maybe they will correct it in an update.
It also bothers me that they sell a locket phone, which I have to unlock by myself.
Thats is like to sell a car without keys…..
How can I send a SMS message internationally?
Surely you can at least send texts internationally from your iPhone? Usually you just add the destination country’s code before the mobile number your texting. Is this what you mean?
It seems to me that apple developed this device as an itouch with some phone bits added
Not the other way around! Love apple products got a mac pro and iMac but taking this thing back to the store this isn’t a phone its a joke!!
Damn this iphone, just bought it on eBay and didn’t realize the lack of texting abiltiy to multiple people. Guess I won’t be selling my Treo but rather selling the iPhone once I get it…………….APPLE SUCKS……….now I now why I never went mac. Texting is the way most of us communicate these days. Go Suck an Apple apple!!!
I think its fairly clear that the lack of multiple texts and an outbox/sent items is a rather large let down.
However, I traded in an N95 for this, and have never looked back. Overall, this phone is by far the most innovative phone in a long time - and it also functions brilliantly. I think the lack of multiple texting pales in comparison to the overall quality of the iphone.
For me, the only thing actually missing is 3G. I use safari a great deal (so much superior to IE in windows mobile 6), and it pains me that i can’t surf at decent speeds. If one happens to find wifi (not really that likely) then fine, otherwise painfully slow.
However, more and more phones have email, so i often mass email or forward on jokes via email. (Not the same, and many of my friends aren’t included, but more and more are getting email-enabled phones). Also, the txt conversation layout is really very impressive…so one on one txt conversations are a real treat.
I find it strange that everyone is really slagging off the phone - many of the aspects have been done before, but never this well. The touch screen interface is fantastic ,far better than my plam or old HTC (not the HTC touch, but I found even that lacks the intelligence of the iphone’s screen).
As an aside, if you need to receive delivery messages, you can (its a bit of a pain, but if you need to), you can type *0# before the number.
My feelings are that the iphone really is quite spectacular, (not an apple fan boy, have serious issues with their “must control all aspects” philosophy - am sticking to my good old built-myself pc). I think there’s no doubt the iphone deserves Time’s “Invention of the year” award.
I thought I must have been overlooking something. The newest, one of the most tecniligical advanced phones in existence does not have multi text messaging? I must have been skipping something. I shurly was not. Pretty disapponting. I assume they will correct this in feuture updates
so i’ve gone from nokia n80 and a blackberry to this iphone in UK. it is truly superb in some elements but there are alot of holes i can only presume were missed out due to issues with cracking the o/s and unlocking.
things the iphone cannot do in order of pain
no sending of contacts, by txt, email or bluetooth
no way to cut and paste anything into anywhere else (HUGE PAIN IN THE ASS)
no proper storage of email and attachments offline
no ablity to save a picture you get send by email (or anything else for that matter)
no landscape mode keyboard for email client
no MMS messaging (from a goddam camera phone!!)
no bulk update (read/unread/delete) on email
no txt msg outbox or sent mail.
no multiple recipient txt.
no ability to add words to dictionary
no way to turn off their predictive txt, which is not like proper t9 where you can cycle words etc
no sync of notes with ouloook notes
no abiltity to use music for ring tone (without hacking)
no right click type context menus
no blackberr or nokia equivalent to switch applications.
like i say - given Apple attention to detail these cannot be missed by accident. The SMS/MMS limitations and no cut and paste are driving me crazy.
The lack of MMS and the inability to send SMS to multiple recipients is a big flaw, but Apple are smart enough to know that the long-term potential of the iPhone will be compromised without these things.
So, I would expect to see the next firmware update addressing these things.
I suspect that one reason some core functionality has been left out is to force people to get regular updates, which will kill-off iPhone unlocking - if your phone gets re-locked every time you update, and if you have to update to get core apps, a lot of people will just give in and sign-up with AT&T or o2.
Sometimes people forget that Apple is actually a business - their mission is to make money
I cant believe this… ive just discovered no multiple recips or txt forwarding or cut and pasting… no way except to retype the message again and again and again… i really cant believe this, even my 5 year old phone that i just replaced with the iphone could do it! its so basic and i use it almost everyday… meetings, parties, contacts, jokes etc
And two updates from the states, nothing to correct this since July… its now Nov… soooo its not going to be fixed? Everyones presuming it will, but thats nearly 6 months and nothing…? Come on Apple, are you serious?
I do find in annoying that when i want to send out a message to multiple resipiants that i have to retype it over nd over again. I like to send out “Happy Thanksgiving” and ehat not to multiple people if not all, but can’t.
But knowing that the iPhone is an Apple product and they only strive for the best, you can only excpect this to be fixed in one of the upcoming updates….as well as being able to tilt the iPhone sideways when typing in text messaging.
I reccommend to use SMSD.app under Utilities. It works PERFECT. You can forward an SMS to multiple user. It is a little tedius because you send an SMS to yourseld and once received, you can then forward it to multiple users with that application.
Hope you find it useful until they come up with an upgrade.
think of it this way: they made texting look like IM because they couldn’t include IM, because if they did, everyone would IM instead of texting because it’s cheaper. The networks would lose text revenue and would therefore not want to partner Apple. Now if your text app has to look like IM in order to compensate for lack of IM, how do you handle non-sequential ‘chats’ with maybe a hundred recipients? You can’t do so easily with this form-factor.
That’s why the iPhone is hobbled in this respect,is my guess.
Having had the same headaches I just loaded an application from http://www.iphone4world.com/?p=103. Follow it step by step and within 3 minutes you will be able to forward sms, sent multiple sms. Works great!
Imaging you’re typing a long SMS message on the iPhone. Whatever you do, don’t decline an incoming call, because if you do, all the text you just typed will be erased…
It happened to me the other day and I was not happy!
Hi guys,
Might I suggest that Apple do intend to implement most of the features that you have mentioned here, including the ability to send SMS text messages to multiple recipients, cut and paste, opening up the iphone as a storage device and introducing improved ways of storing files received in email, etc. In the next 6 weeks you will be able to send pictures using SMS; I have heard this functionality is in the later stages of being rolled out..
Another biggy which I was assured would be introduced by the end of February 2008, will be the implementation of the A2DP standard for broadcasting in stereo via bluetooth.
All of this and more is in the pipeline, the big and interesting question is really when… my source tells me that Apple is deliberately staggering the introduction of certain features because it wants to use them in the struggle to thwart unlockers; so, bring them out over time, gradually, so that people will be lured into updating the software and as they do that Apple will have numerous opportunities to implant code that will brick unlocked iPhones. This makes a lot of sense, if you think about it, not just as part of some sinister ploy to screw up people who have unlocked iPhones but to deter new users from unlocking.
There’s been a lot of talk about the next update that was supposed to be with us by last week, according to sources on CNET France. My source, who I trust given that he has a proven track record,tells me that the claims made in CNET France were bogus. The next update will be in early January and will open up iPhone as a portable storage device — that’s all. Sending text messages to multiple recipients was not singled out as a priority but will be introduced alongside other SMS updates which they are working on as part of a bundle. My source told me the current SMS handling was the only aspect of the iPhone that they rushed out without proper development and that this was a consequence of an error in the early stages of development when they intended to integrate SMS with email in one suite but ran into problems.
hi
just trying to get to grips with the new iphone and was wandering if anybody knew if it has the capacity to play games and if so where i could get them from?
cheers!
Like Nokia PC Suite, are there any applications, that can send SMS from PC, when the iPhone is connected to the PC using USB or BlueTooth? If any one knows existance of such application, can you pls email me at n.r@usa.net ???
Thanks a lot in advence
N.Raja
predictive txt really sucks
Hey Guys .. with FW 1.1.3 you can send SMS to multiple users.
There are few things in which iphone sucks big time……sms, bluetooth, contacts, iphone does not also show outgoing and incoming calls etc etc.
Overall iphone is sleeky but difficult to use….i could only find the software SIMPORT to copy contact from my sim. Rest pf the softwares, I think are being developed and will take a while to be of our use.
ANYONE knows how to forward sms and share data on bluetooth please le me know. Thanks
Hey Guys,
My Iphone doesn’t show the sms. The icon shows the number of sms in the corner but it doesn’t let me ckeck them! I already tried to restart the phone but haven’t fix the problem yet… Any suggestions?
iPhone is absolutely rubbish ! How can itbe that with som many other good improvements, they totally lacked the intelligence to have proper SMS as used by businessmen like me.
No delivery reports, No forwarding, no individual deleting, etc etc etc
Nice iPod with a bit of a phone attached to it. Sadly I bought it because I believed in Apple.
Now I know they are simple, naive, unprofessional. Learn from Nokia!
Or keep it in USA where everything works different…
wat was dat whole hype about iphones anyway???? happy now ppl?