Is there a way to send a Group Message on the Moto X?

[skimore2020]

Group Messaging

I just switched back to Android after 4 years with iPhones, so to say that I'm a bit "rusty" might be an understatement.

Is there a way to send group messages on the Moto X 2014? I tried sending an SMS to 2 people (that both have iPhones) and it sent as 2 independent messages. I want them to be in the same thread so that I don't have to "copy/paste" from one thread to another...I would prefer it to go out as an SMS rather than data, if that makes sense. Basically, I want the functionality of the iPhone group messaging to work on my Moto X.

Thanks for the help in advance!

 

[cbryancan]

Re: Group Messaging

It's pretty inconsistent when you're using SMS, especially with an iPhone on the other side.

If you can get them to use hangouts (the chat part, not the SMS part) or FB Messenger or WhatsApp, there won't be any problem.

 

[rsp35]

Re: Group Messaging

I've used Textra, but I believe it sends group messages via data.

 

[alphabets]

I use Evolve, which has iPhone like group messaging so that everyone's messages including yours will be sent and received in one thread. There are a few apps that do this, I just prefer Evolve. I believe the stock app even does this on certain phones.

 

[slh7d]

Re: Group Messaging

I haven't had any issues with group texts from some friends with Iphones. I use hangouts. Of course, the SMS messages are converted to MMS, but seems to work fine

 

[Green_Laser]

Re: Group Messaging

This link may help. AC just recently posted an article on text messaging apps..

http://www.androidcentral.com/top-5-text-message-replacement-apps-android

 

[Ry]

Re: Group Messaging

Is there a setting in the Messaging app menu to use MMS for Group Messaging?

There is in the 2013 Moto X. I send Group Messages all the time, even to just iPhone users and it works how you describe you want it to.

Posted via Android Central App (Moto X)

 

[azdmelani]

Re: Group Messaging

Is there a setting in the Messaging app menu to use MMS for Group Messaging?

There is in the 2013 Moto X. I send Group Messages all the time, even to just iPhone users and it works how you describe you want it to.

Posted via Android Central App (Moto X)

yes, can confirm there is

 

[Ry]

Re: Group Messaging

yes, can confirm there is

Can you do group messages in the way the OP describes?

 

[azdmelani]

Re: Group Messaging

I'm not sure how the iphones receive it, but on my motox I add multiple contacts and send the message and it is kept all in one thread on my phone

 

[Ry]

Re: Group Messaging

I'm not sure how the iphones receive it, but on my motox I add multiple contacts and send the message and it is kept all in one thread on my phone

Odd that the OP isn't seeing that behavior.

Posted via Android Central App (Moto G)

 

[Green_Laser]

Re: Group Messaging

I'm not sure how the iphones receive it, but on my motox I add multiple contacts and send the message and it is kept all in one thread on my phone

exactly how it's done on my thunderbolt (ICS 4.0.4)

(I decided to chime in so that those who were unfamiliar with android would know it's not new or think it's not an available feature)

 

[gone down south]

Re: Group Messaging

You do have to select the "group messages as MMS" option for that to work properly.

 

[Seanzle]

Re: Group Messaging

Textra works best

 

[skimore2020]

Re: Group Messaging

Yes, I have it configured to use group messages as MMS. I am still having issues. I have tried the stock messaging app and Textra. It sends the message to both iPhones, but what seems to mess everything up is when the reply. When the first person replies, I get the message in the original thread. Once the 2nd iPhone replies, their outgoing message converts to an iMessage (probably because it "sees" the other iPhone) and I don't get any messages from the 2nd iPhone.

I called Apple to make sure my number wasn't linked to any of their servers anymore. Has anyone else ran into this issue?

 

[tko_49]

Re: Group Messaging

This is why it is so difficult for people to move from iOS to Android. I has the same problem last year, but since I was missing so many texts, especially group texts, I decided to go back to iOS. I going to switch again next week, but will get a new number instead of porting. It is easier to let everyone know my new number instead of explaining the solution.

The problem is with those who have the iPhone. Since you had an iPhone previously, your number is listed under your friends contacts as being an iPhone. What is happening is it is sending as an iMessage, your one friend that has an iPhone will get it, but the one going to you fails, so get sent as a SMS text. They way to resolve this, at least it worked for me, is to have them change your number in their contacts from being an iPhone to a regular mobile. They also need to delete old iMessages from you that may have been sent from your iPhone. In some cases they may need to delete your contact completely (including from iPad, Mac, or any thing linked to iCloud). Make sure they have "Send as an SMS message if iMessage unavailable" turned on in the iPhone settings.

Since nearly everyone I know has an iPhone, it just became too difficult to explain to everyone what to do. And, in some cases I am sure I was just ignored. So, I switched back. But, I will be trying Android again but with a new number. A friend of mine did it this way and had no troubles.

Hope this helps.

 

[sharkita]

Re: Group Messaging

This is why it is so difficult for people to move from iOS to Android. I has the same problem last year, but since I was missing so many texts, especially group texts, I decided to go back to iOS. I going to switch again next week, but will get a new number instead of porting. It is easier to let everyone know my new number instead of explaining the solution.
Hope this helps.

It's a shame you have to go to all that trouble. I discovered the texting problem when I got an iPad this year. Fortunately the problem was easily solved since only one iPhone user was sending me messages that I was only seeing on the iPad, but what a pain.

 

[skennelly]

Re: Group Messaging

I was hoping for some clarification on how group messaging should work. I have an Nexus 6 and I use the google Messaging app. I like it and don't want to use another third party app. On my Note 2 running CM, when I would send or receive a group text, all the replies were in the same thread. Today, when I receive a group message on the N6, it, along with all the replies are in one thread. However, if I send out a group message, everyone's reply to that message comes back in individual messages (like it is just a message between the two of us). I can confirm, but I suspect that everyone in the group can't see everyone else's responses.

Is this normal? Is it like this for everyone else? Is there a fix?

 

[raptir]

Re: Group Messaging

Yes, I have it configured to use group messages as MMS. I am still having issues. I have tried the stock messaging app and Textra. It sends the message to both iPhones, but what seems to mess everything up is when the reply. When the first person replies, I get the message in the original thread. Once the 2nd iPhone replies, their outgoing message converts to an iMessage (probably because it "sees" the other iPhone) and I don't get any messages from the 2nd iPhone.

I called Apple to make sure my number wasn't linked to any of their servers anymore. Has anyone else ran into this issue?

Ugh, yeah, my wife switched from iOS to Android about a year and a half ago and was never able to get this issue resolved fully.

https://selfsolve.apple.com/deregister-imessage

Plug your number into this and hope that it works. My wife's phone shows that it is deregistered and yet group messages that include her are still sent by iMessage from her friends' iphones.

 

[raptir]

Re: Group Messaging

I was hoping for some clarification on how group messaging should work. I have an Nexus 6 and I use the google Messaging app. I like it and don't want to use another third party app. On my Note 2 running CM, when I would send or receive a group text, all the replies were in the same thread. Today, when I receive a group message on the N6, it, along with all the replies are in one thread. However, if I send out a group message, everyone's reply to that message comes back in individual messages (like it is just a message between the two of us). I can confirm, but I suspect that everyone in the group can't see everyone else's responses.

Is this normal? Is it like this for everyone else? Is there a fix?

No, that's not normal. I use Hangouts for texting, not Messaging, but when I send a group message I receive everything back as one thread. In the settings for Messaging there should be something to the effect of "Group Messaging: Use MMS to send a single message to multiple recipients." Make sure that is checked.

Also, I understand you don't want to switch, but try using Hangouts (since it's installed on your phone already) and see if the issue persists. It would help with troubleshooting at least.