The mobile version of Messages on iOS used on iPhone and iPad also supports SMS and MMS and was known as Text prior to iPhone OS 3. RCS support is planned in iOS 18. Users can tell the difference between a message sent via SMS and one sent over iMessage as the bubbles will appear either green (SMS/MMS/RCS) or blue (iMessage).
The desktop Messages application replaced iChat as the native OS X instant messaging client with the release of OS X Mountain Lion in July 2012.[1] While it inherits the majority of iChat's features, Messages also brings support for iMessage, Apple's messaging service for iOS, as well as FaceTime integration.
iMessage is an end-to-end encrypted instant messaging service operated by Apple that is exclusive to Apple platforms.[2] Messages sent using iMessage appear in blue bubbles.[3]
The Messages app also supports SMS and MMS messages. RCS support is planned with the release of iOS 18.[4] Messages that are sent using SMS, MMS, or RCS (in the future) appear in green bubbles.[3][5]
iOS and iPadOS versions
The Text app debuted on iPhone OS 1 as a built in app.
With iPhone OS 3.0 on June 17, 2009,[6] the Text application was renamed Messages, due to the addition of MMS protocol support, in addition to the previously available SMS protocol.[7] The original iPhone did not receive support for MMS, citing hardware limitations.[7] Messages also gained support for sharing contacts using the vCard standard. Other changes included support for copy and paste, and the ability to forward or delete multiple messages at a time.[8]
Messages received minor upgrades with iOS 4. Among the new features was the ability to search within text messages, much like the search feature in Mail. It also added support for displaying a character count to notify when one had gone over the standard SMS character limit.[9] iOS 4.0 also included support for a red exclamation mark to appear on the app's icon to warn failure to send a message.[10][11] Developers were provided with a new API that allowed them to add embedded messaging functionality to their apps.[11]
iMessage support was added with iOS 5 on October 12, 2011.[12][13] The iPhone supported SMS, MMS and iMessage, while the iPad and iPod touch only supported iMessage. With iMessage, users could send text, picture messages and contacts over WiFi or 3G to other iOS 5 devices without using their carrier quota. In addition, a user could start their conversation on one device and continue on another. Messages also introduced typing indication, delivery and read receipts.[13][14] With the introduction of Notification Center, new SMS, and MMS notifications could now be seen on the lock screen or by pulling down the Notification Center, in addition to iMessage notifications.
iOS 6 improves syncing between multiple devices. iPod touch and iPad users could now use their iPhone phone numbers to send or receive iMessages.[15] Earlier, iPhone users could not receive iMessages sent to their phone number on iPad or iPod touch. Users could now add additional emails to receive and send messages on any device.[16] iOS 6 also added a Share button on apps like Safari and Photos, which enabled users to share links and photos using SMS/MMS or iMessage without leaving the app.[17]
Messages received a new user interface in iOS 7. Apple also added the ability to see a message post date by swiping from right to left.
In iOS 8, users can send audio and video messages by holding down the record button. In group conversations, users can remove/add someone to a thread, name a thread, share their location in a thread, view all attachments, and turn on Do Not Disturb to not receive notifications from a specific thread.[18] As a part of the new continuity feature, users can now use their iPhones as a relay to send and receive SMS and MMS messages on Macs and iPads.
In iOS 9, the app received a redesigned overlay when sending an audio clip, as well as seeing contact photos in list view on iPhone 6 or later.
In iOS 10, the app has its own App Store allowing the user to download third-party apps that allow users to send stickers and play games within the app.[19] It also received new visual effects, for example, chat bubbles with a "loud" or "gentle" effect.[20][21]
In iOS 11, the iMessage app store received a new user interface.
iOS 12 introduces a new type of customizable Animoji called "Memoji" which allows a user to create a 3D character of themselves. There were also new Koala, Tiger, Ghost, and T-Rex Animojis.
In iOS 13, user profiles can be created and Memoji can be used as an iMessage profile picture. All iOS devices with an A9 processor or newer can create custom Memoji.
In iOS 14, user profiles can be created and Memoji can be used as an iMessage profile picture. All iOS devices with an A9 processor or newer can create custom Memoji.
In iOS 15, Messages introduces a new feature called "Shared with You", which organizes links and other content shared through Messages in a dedicated section in their native apps for later viewing.
In iOS 16, sent messages can now be edited within 15 minutes and can be deleted within 2 minutes.
In iOS 17, there is a new "Check In" feature which allows the user to pick a location and Check In notifies the contact once the user reaches the destination safely. If the user stops moving towards the destination and does not respond to prompts, the user's location, route, and battery level are automatically shared with the contact. The contact otherwise has no access to the user's location, and this information is end-to-end encrypted.
Apple Watches can send and receive SMS and MMS messages through a paired iPhone, while iMessages can be sent and received over Wi-Fi without a paired iPhone.[22] As the Apple Watch has no keyboard, users can respond to messages using preset replies or text transcribed by Siri. Apple Watch can also send emojis, audio recordings, and hand-drawn "scribbles".[23]
visionOS version
Launched on the Apple Vision Pro on February 2, 2024, the Vision Pro comes with the Messages app pre-installed, allowing users on visionOS to send and receive messages, emojis, stickers, and media with the iMessage protocol, just as they can on iOS or macOS. Users can create messages with their voice, a virtual keyboard, or a Bluetooth connected keyboard.
Messages unitizes the newly added Notification Center to notify of incoming messages. The introduction of a new Share button in applications like Safari, Finder and Preview gave users the ability to share links to webpages, photos, and files.[27] Messages also supported dragging and dropping files and photos for sharing. It also supports video calling through Apple's FaceTime and the third-party IM services it supports.[28] With the release of OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.2, Messages gained the ability to send and receive iMessages using an iPhone phone number.[29]
Messages received a major redesign in OS X Yosemite, following the flat design aesthetic introduced in iOS 7. As a part of the new Continuity feature, users can send and receive SMS and MMS messages through paired iPhones running iOS 8 or later.
macOS Big Sur dropped the original codebase in favor of porting the iOS version using Catalyst.[30][31] This was done to retain feature parity with iOS since before the Mac version lagged behind. Big Sur brought conversation pinning, the ability to mention individuals, message searching, and more tools to send messages such as Memoji. Users received the ability to undo or edit messages in macOS Ventura, a carryover from iOS 16.
Reception
Praise
As a headlining feature in iOS 5, Messages was widely reviewed and was met with fairly positive reviews.
Dante Cesa from Engadget, in his review, praised the "brilliance" in Apple's execution of Messages. He complimented the way Messages did not change the earlier SMS UI and would automatically convert an SMS/MMS to iMessage if the recipient was registered; and from iMessage to SMS/MMS if they stopped using the service.[32] Dan Moren from Macworld was also in praise of Apple execution saying that "...there's no having to explain to your less technically savvy friends how they can send you a free message instead of an SMS; it's all done automatically."[33] This feature was widely praised.[34][35][36]
AnandTech praised[34] Apple's technical achievements with Messages, particularly with iMessage. They noted that doing away with SMS's character limits (140 or 160) helped eliminate messages being sent and received split up into two or more messages. In their tests they found that Apple actually prioritized using cellular networks to send text messages as opposed to WiFi networks in spite of possibly incurring data costs. They claimed that data usage with text based iMessage was small enough to ignore especially when it is considered that cellular networks are more secure than WiFi (protected or not). With picture or video messages, Apple prioritized WiFi given the much higher data consumption as compared to text.
Criticism
Most of the criticism for Messages relates to iMessage. Before the release of iOS 6 and OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2), the inability to receive iMessages sent to iPhone phone numbers on the iPad, iPod touch, and Mac was criticized.[36][37][38] This feature was addressed in iOS 6 for iPhones, iPads and iPod touches and OS X 10.8.2 for Macs.
Messages also came under fire due to multiple cases of Apple's iCloud service going down. Messages relies on iCloud to send and receive iMessages.[39][40][41][42]
Accessibility
Using Apple's VoiceOver screen reader (on both iOS and macOS), visually impaired users can tap on a message and have it be read out to them. They can also navigate the Messages UI using Voice Over. Utilizing Siri with Messages enables one to dictate and send messages with just a few commands. Siri is also able to read out new incoming messages.[43] The default font size on iOS Messages is editable under the Accessibility tab in the Settings application.[44]
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