Cross-platform messaging

[mzanette]

Don't expect iOS users to download any apps for you. Their invested in iMessage.

Apart from that Kik is probably my favorite option. Then only issue with it is that last time I checked it doesn't allow you to use the same account on multiple devices.

I really wish Android would introduce an iMessage like app for its ecosystem. It would be the perfect thing for Google to do as well since it's one step forward in the master plan to screw over carriers.

Sent from my One X using Android Central Forums

A lot of iPhone users also use Whataspp because it got started before iMessage.

 

[lswim80]

Thanks for all the advice, I'll definitely check out WhatsApp and Kik as soon as I buy my Nexus 4. I may also try the G+ messaging app with some of my friends who have G+ already on their iPhones!

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[anon(1019781)]

Google Talk has been around a lot longer than iMessage.

Yeah but it's not as feature packed as iMessage, sadly. Google seems to want you to use Google+ instead.

I would suggest the OP use Whatsapp, Kik or Imo for those IM accounts in case nobody wants to install something new and already has you on an existing IM service.

 

[snaqvi91]

You should also look at Hookt messenger, its as good as Kick but with a few improvements. It can add contacts automatically through the phone book just like whatsapp and has the ability to send pictures out of the box. I think you should get whatever your friends have.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

 

[KitN]

[...] since it's one step forward in the master plan to screw over carriers.

Yay!

Sent from my Nexus 7

 

[draftpeppin]

All of these systems are flawed because they all require that everyone in your circle of friends agree on the same one. We need interoperability. Or just one very popular one (such as Facebook Messenger, which has multimedia capabilities) to be agreed upon by everyone. It's insane how everything is broken up. It's as if we were had to have a Gmail address, a Yahoo address, a Comcast address, etc. in order to communicate with all our different friends on different email systems. So people fall back to SMS since that's the only option out there that will work on everyone's phone. But I hate that because I only have 500 free texts per month. I'd rather everyone send me an IM. But I don't want to run more than just Google Talk and maybe Facebook Messenger.

 

[axllebeer]

I know people with Android phones that don't even know they have Google Talk installed. ..

I have mine disabled. Never used it. WhatsApp, sms, and yahoo messenger are all good enough since I'm lacking BBM.

 

[Tall Mike 2145]

texting is one of those things that doesn't really make sense in the era of smartphones.

It's still there for the exact same reasons that PCs still have SVGA ports on them: backward compatibility. I know plenty of people, old and young, who don't have smartphones. The moment you throw away SMS-handling abilities on smartphones, you're just going to chop your own nose off, because there's still far too many people for whom that's the only available mobile messaging option.

 

[Prash7]

WhatsApp is great. So many people have it and it's locked to your phone number, so if you change phones, you keep the same WA account and your contacts are there