Earlier today someone texted me a video from Android and it arrived as a 60x80 anim-GIF.
If you're wondering if the message actually came from a 1997 Nokia, no, I asked.
I'm used to the experience that if I ever try to send a photo or video to an Android user from DNA Lounge, they don't receive it until I'm back at home, and then they usually get 4+ copies, but this is next level.
Previously, previously, previously, previously, previously, previously.
My brother-in-law was unable to text me from an airplane today - him on Apple, me on Android. I suspect it would have worked if he did a 1-to-1 SMS instead of a multi-party MMS.
I find old Android can’t handle receiving multiparty MMS from iOS. Sometimes they get some kind of stub file instead of pictures or video, too. Maybe new Android is better?
(Old Android baseband, so basically every Android that’s abandoned after a couple years, or three now)
I wrestled something similar to the ground once. Apple hides the MMS parameters unless you jailbreak. In my case, I had an AT&T phone that was unlocked and moved to a T-Mobile MVNO, it could not send MMS to save its life. When me moved to an AT&T MVNO, the MMS to Android worked.
I don't hope any better with RCS which Google is trying to pushing, though send media wouldn't no longer be a mess, it can't even send a PDF and the protocol doesn't include E2E encryption, the encryption present in RCS is a privative thing made by Google bundled in their Messages app for Android.
In Germany one (of three) of the mobile network operators shuts down MMS in a few days and another operator considers doing it this year. I think that is the right way to go. Don't pretend it works and instead burn it down.
Sadly, the status quo for me has become: iMessage (for 100% iOS groups) and Telegram / Whatsapp / FB Messenger / PleaseGodNotAnotherApp for mixed company. This is mitigated by the level of penetration iOS has among my social circles, and is not predictive of a happy future.
Yep, when my iPhone parents text me a video, I receive it in thumbnail size on my Android. Apple and Google don't want interoperability
Pretty clear Apple is doing this intentionally:
https://www.android.com/get-the-message/
Yes, and this is not the only way they try to lock users into their products. Sonos has been playing cat in mouse with Apple (who also sell Wi-Fi speakers) for years. Sonos gets the integration to work, then Apple intentionally breaks their integration. Sonos fixes it, Apple breaks it again … really frustrating for those who’ve spent a lot of cash on hardware.
Expect antitrust laws to take effect right at about the time this tech becomes obsolete and superseded by the next best thing.
What Sonos functionality do you use/recommend? I either use the Sonos app (eww) or Spotify to play through the Sonos.
I play direct from my iPhone music library but I don’t recommend that because software updates have broken that simplest of methods twice so far. It seems like both Apple and Sonos would prefer you use a streaming service. I guess most people don’t care but I prefer mission critical functionality like music to be independent of an internet connection.
The latest trick to get direct from library to work is to use airplay. Has worked for over a year now.
You're so close...
WIRES.
So I was buying skis this weekend. The store had new POS system - tablets as terminals that talked to a server over wifi. Except the store's wifi wasn't set up. So they POS tablets had to talk to the server via the managers cell phone. And he had to keep reactivating tethering on his phone.
Wires, man - they just work.
Though not all Sonos speakers have wired input. And those that do have no way to broadcast that wired audio input to other speakers, even if the Sonos network is entirely wired together, no Wi-Fi.
Even if wired input worked, I’d prefer not to have my phone physically tethered to a speaker.
I have no problem with the system being dependent on my Wi-Fi LAN, it is simple and reliable. I just don’t want to depend on someone else’s computers outside of my LAN.
I'm not suggesting that you should use WhatsApp, but this kind of thing is part of the reason why people use WhatsApp. :(
That's what people say about Signal.
My entire family uses iphones except me. They said "oh we can't add you to the family group text" and that was the last I heard of that. I didn't feel too bad. The people I want to talk to all have Signal.
Signal is a significantly subpar experience to WhatsApp, sadly. And even WhatsApp doesn't text everyone you know when you install it and tell them you're on WhatsApp.
I wasn't recommending Signal or WhatsApp; that's why I added the link. Both in-format and cross-format messaging have their own flavours of FUBAR.
When I chat to family and friends back in England everyone there uses WhatsApp. I must admit it’s made sending media to my Android pals 100% more reliable.
If it's any consolation, the other direction is just as bad. My friend will send me a video of our kids playing, and it looks like it was filmed on a potato, and sent via telegraph.
At this point, when I need to send her photos or videos, I go into Google Photos, generate a link, and send that instead. If it's stupid but works, it's still stupid, but at least it works.
I'm currently coordinating a memorial for a recently passed friend in three group chats. One group is all iMessage, one group is WhatsApp (mostly international people), one group is a mixture of iOS and Android via SMS. One of these makes me want to claw my eyes out every time someone sends anything that's not just text to the group.
You all know how these things work (technically and socially), I am surprised that you are all surprised.
Why do you people always think that me saying "here's another hilarious example of a thing that is fucked up" is me being surprised that things are fucked up?
Telling people, "Well but of course I knew that already because I am so smart and clever" probably does not have the effect you hope it does.
And yet, so many of you can't help yourselves.