IMessage and SMS/MMS messages are both ways to send text messages on an iPhone, but they have some key differences. Understanding these differences will help us understand why you can’t add or remove people in group SMS/MMS messages and why non-Apple device users cannot be added or removed.
1. iMessage:
– iMessage is Apple’s proprietary messaging service that allows iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch users to send messages to each other over the internet.
– It requires an internet connection, either through Wi-Fi or cellular data.
– iMessage messages are sent using Apple’s servers, and they are encrypted end-to-end, providing a higher level of security.
– iMessage messages appear in blue bubbles in the Messages app.
– iMessage supports features like read receipts, typing indicators, message effects, and more.
– With iMessage, you can create and participate in group messages with other iMessage users. You can add or remove people from the group, rename the group, and even leave the group if you wish.
– iMessage also supports features like sharing photos, videos, locations, and other multimedia content.
2. SMS/MMS:
– SMS (Short Message Service) and MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) are traditional text messaging services that use your cellular network to send messages.
– SMS messages are limited to 160 characters, while MMS messages can include multimedia content like photos, videos, and audio.
– SMS/MMS messages appear in green bubbles in the Messages app.
– SMS/MMS messages are not encrypted, making them less secure than iMessage.
– Group SMS/MMS messages are essentially a collection of individual messages sent to multiple recipients. Each recipient receives a separate message, and the replies are sent individually to each participant.
– Since group SMS/MMS messages are handled by the cellular network, they don’t have the same functionality as iMessage group messages. You cannot add or remove people from the group, rename the group, or leave the group once you’ve been added.
– Additionally, non-Apple device users (e.g., Android users) cannot be added or removed from group SMS/MMS messages because the messaging service is not interconnected with Apple’s iMessage servers.
IMessage allows for more advanced features and functionality, including the ability to create and manage group messages. SMS/MMS messages, on the other hand, lack these features and are limited to basic text messaging capabilities. The inability to add or remove people in group SMS/MMS messages and the exclusion of non-Apple device users is a result of the limitations of the cellular network-based messaging service.