iMessage Overview,Getting Started.Everything You Need To Know.

Apple seeded the public version of iOS 5 earlier today, adding over 200 new features to its mobile OS. The Cupertino company gave a preview of the software back in June, and now it has given everyone the chance to check it out.

Among the several additions to iOS, one of the most prominent is the new iMessaging system. The cross-device messaging client can be used by any product running iOS 5. So how does it work? Hit the jump for a full breakdown…

Overview

iMessage is a messaging client built into iOS 5. It works on the iPad, iPod touch, and of course the iPhone, as long as there is an active internet connection available. The entire platform is based on your Apple ID, so you must know your contact’s associated email address to send them messages. The system works a lot like standard text messaging, so you can send pictures, videos, and obviously text. It’s also comparable to other proprietary messaging clients like BlackBerry Messenger, as it can notify you when a contact has read your message or when they’re typing.

How Do I Get Started?

As aforementioned, you’ll need to have iOS 5 installed. iMessage is iOS-specific, so messages cannot be sent to non-Apple devices. Once you have iOS 5 installed, you need to make sure iMessage is setup. To do this, open up the Settings application and tap on Messages. This is where you can enable/disable iMessages, and tweak other settings. Switch on Read Receipts if you want others to be notified when you’ve read their messages. You can also change your Receiving Email Address, and turn the subject field off and on.

Now that you are all set up, you need to obtain your contacts’ Apple IDs. With over 200 million active users, it’s not surprising that Apple chose this method for validating iMessage contacts, but it’s still kind of odd. Their Apple ID is likely the email address associated with their Apple account, and once you have it you are all set. Enter it into the New Message field in iMessage, and start typing. If the Send button doesn’t appear accessible, that means that it doesn’t recognize the email address you entered. This is because it’s either wrong, or because the contact has not setup iMessage yet.



If the system recognizes the address, the send button will turn blue to show it’s enabled. Sending media isn’t difficult to figure out, simply tap the camera icon to the left of the message field and pick out your content.

Will This Replace Text Messaging?

iMessage is different on the iPhone than it is on the iPad or iPod touch. On the iPhone, you have the option to send an SMS message if a contact is not iMessage-capable. This can be enabled by visiting the Settings application, tapping iMessage, and making sure that the Send As SMS feature is turned on.

Keep in mind that this will send an SMS anytime a contact is not recognized by iMessage, so it can get expensive. Standard carrier text messaging rates apply. So the bottom line is no, this most likely won’t replace text messaging. It may, however, reduce the amount of SMS messages you send on a monthly basis, allowing you to dial down your texting package a bit. You’ll have a better idea in a month or so, once the dust has settled, of how many of your contacts are using iMessage.

Conclusion

I’ve been using iMessage since it debuted in Beta form back in June. The good news is that the service has come a long way in the last few months. Sending and receiving messages happen very quickly, and pictures and videos go through without a hitch. Of course, that could all change in a month or so. There’s not a lot of people using iMessage right now, because there aren’t a lot of iOS 5 users just yet (compared to the entire iOS user base). This has to be the messaging client’s biggest downfall. Not everyone owns an Apple device, and the ones that do may not be able to upgrade to iOS 5. This is pretty crippling for a system that looks to replace other messaging clients, which are generally cross-platform. The true test for iMessage will come in the next few months, as more and more next-generation Apple devices with iOS 5 pre-installed are activated. But for now, if you know people that are using iMessage, I can’t think of a more convient way to chat.

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