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Is there a way I can get Messages to prompt when it wants to send a message as SMS rather than an iMessage ?

I hate noticing that when a message fails to send, its sent as SMS instead of imessage, which I get charged for. This happens when I activate the SEND AS SMS option.

However I would still want to send a message as SMS if necessary (emergency etc). Is there an option/app/tweak that can help me accomplish that?

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4 Answers 4

Reset to default
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This is something I wish iOS5 had. Alas, it does not - however if it fails to send as iMessage with send as SMS disabled, it will allow you to tap / hold (I forget which) and specify to send as text.

The main caveat to this, though, is that it doesn't 'alert' you per-se.

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  • Maybe a cydia app can fix this ?
    – Render
    Commented Jan 30, 2012 at 18:11
  • As far as I know, there aren't any Cydia apps which support iMessage - although I could well be wrong. As a long-time iPhone user and having tried jailbreaking, though, my advice would be against that route. If you check your phone periodically the above will work, otherwise submit a bug req to Apple - they are very good at listening to what people want and may well sort the problem out for you. Also possible: does the other iMessage user have it setup with an email as well? You could iMessage that = no failures (in theory) and no fallback, and then in emergency use their number.
    – George Pearce
    Commented Jan 30, 2012 at 18:15
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Messages does give you an indicator of when a message is going to be sent as an SMS or an iMessage.

The recipient's name, and the send button will be in green. Also it will say Text Message. in the text field where you would type your message.

If it is going to send it by iMessage. All of the above will be blue. And it will say iMessage. in the text field where you would type your message.

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    What happens with me is that the button is blue, however it changes to green after a few mins : When the imessage have already failed to send, it sends as text instead.
    – Render
    Commented Jan 30, 2012 at 22:46
  • So you do you mean. You hit send when blue (iMessage). But it fails. Then later sends the message as SMS when it automatically retries?
    – markhunte
    Commented Jan 30, 2012 at 22:53
  • Exactly, and I waste money doing that with overseas messages !
    – Render
    Commented Jan 30, 2012 at 23:24
  • It may be just me but thats not clear in your question. You may want to update it
    – markhunte
    Commented Jan 30, 2012 at 23:40
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One solution you could test is using your recipients email address.

  • Your recipient has to have one, his iCloud address, that he used to log in (and he can add as many as he wants).
  • If the message is not sent, it shouldn't be sent as SMS.
  • You can still send message to his phone number, if you want to be sure he receives it.
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I found a solution to anyone wondering.

Get a cydia app called xMessages .. Once enabled, you can tap and hold the "send" button and it will you prompt you to switch between text and imessage.

There are other nice options as well to discover, check it out.

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