iMessage Problem

[PiedPiper]

My partner and I were both away in London at the weekend during which time we sent each other a few text messages, none of which arrived. On investigation I noticed that iMessage, which I normally keep disabled, was enabled on both phones and I can only presume that this was enabled by the iOS9 installation. The result was that none of the messages arrived, even when we were both using the same hotel wifi later on.

This was easily cured by turning off iMessage, simple, but what am I missing here? Can anyone shed some light on what is going on, or not going on to be precise? In there days of unlimited text message contracts what is the point of iMessage?

[Cleoriff]

I am no expert with iPhones but I do know from the amount of posts on here... there have been many problems with this iOS 9 upgrade.

As for your last sentence asking what is the point of iMessage in this day and age of unlimited texts? Only someone experienced with iPhones could answer that. I have personally never understood it at all. So any reply will be a learning exercise for me as well

[jonsie]

Some discussion here...

http://www.engadget.com/discuss/what-are-the-benefits-of-imessage-1km1/

[PiedPiper]

This is interesting:-

http://www.imore.com/why-cant-i-send-regular-text-messages-my-iphone-6-or-6-plus

However the screenshot shown for the Message settings is different from mine. Specifically it shows a "Send as SMS" toggle which looks like exactly what is needed, but I don't see it Can anyone see this?

[MI5]

I can't say I've looked specifically since iOS9 but the send as SMS always used to be there.
I'll check it later if no one else has confirmed by then.

[PhoneChanger]

Send by SMS is still an option in the settings, or by selecting the message you have just sent as an iMessage which has not been returned as delivered.

They are usually sent automatically as a text if the iMessage fails after a set period of time (usually around 1 minute after sending).

iMessage does not automatically come on when upgrading from iOS 8 to 9 unless you do a full new install (restore).

Might be worth disabling it on both devices then re-enabling it?

[PiedPiper]

Thanks PhoneChanger

I just upgraded to iOS 9.0.2 and tried what you suggested - turned it off and on again, not for the first time I should add but worth another go just in case. At first nothing changed but then after a couple of seconds delay the 'Send As SMS' appeared together with a few other settings. The delay was just long enough for me to miss it and assume there was no change first time round. So give it a few seconds and all will be OK.

So was it 9.0.2 that made the difference or was it my impatience all along?

Cheers

[Anonymous]

It also might be possible that the iMessage 'address / number' is an email address you use for your apple id or apple's own such as @me.com. or whicever.

Check whether your iMessange send and receive messages contact details in the iMessage settings are correct.

If you're phone number is grey out it means iMessage isn't active on your number yet so it might be worth turning the iMessage service on and off until you get a pop up asking you what you want to send and receive iMessages as, your phone number or email address assoicated with your apple id.

[Anonymous]

Sorry for a double post, but I've just noted in the iOS 9.0.2 changelog this:

* Resovles an issue that prevented iMessage activation for some users.

So hopefully it sorts itself out for you now.

[PiedPiper]

Update

Having turned iMessage back on, see above, I sent my daughter a message this morning. There was a delay of about a minute and then it went. Aha I thought, my phone couldn't send it as an iMessage so it reverted to SMS, like it is supposed to do. Fine.

2 hours later I phoned my daughter as she hadn't replied to my message. She said "didn't you get my reply?". So she had indeed received it, and replied, but I didn't get her reply. Weird.

So now I'm more confused but also convinced that iMessage is going off and staying off !!! Just need to make sure it doesn't get enabled again by a software update, which I am convinced is what happened with iOS9.