Finally AT&T seems to be working hard to bring true MMS capability in iPhone. MacBlogz reports that AT&T is working on a wireless network caching method which will involve sending of compressed and cached image links as SMS messages instead of images. These images can then be opened in Apple's Mobile Safari Browser and saved. The image would expire after 48 hours or so and can also be deleted from the network's cache and remain only on the original iPhone's hard drive.
Image Courtesy: MacBlogz
Lack of MMS support is a pain for many iPhone users even though there are other alternatives to send/receive pictures via email from iPhone. The problem with sending images from iPhone to iPhone is the lack of native support to view images. Third-party applications like Flutter have tried to bring mms on iphone, but with restrictions on how messages are sent and received.
In November 2008, Mobispine a Swedish company announced MMS iPhone application where MMS messages will be created and received via Mobispine app, not in the iPhone's built in SMS application.
















Haha, except MMS is old dated technology which is only there to make the cell networks extra cash.
On behalf of millions of iPhone users world wide, I would like to thank you for adding a feature that less than 10% of cellphone users find useful.
Could you please add turn-by-turn directions to the next update and perhaps a keyboard in land-scape mode, regardless of the application I'm in?
Thank you,
iPhone users
Either way, it's a feature that phones have had as standard for years now, why was it missing at all?
- MMS
- Video recording
- Copy and Paste
- Forwarding Text Messages
- Push
- Turn-by-turn directions
- Landscape Keyboard
Pretty much all of those can be added via a software update. Why they haven't been added (besides maybe MMS support) is beyond me.
I'm sure there is a certain level of convenience for sending pictures to phone numbers instead of to e-mails (I can't see it myself, but I'll allow those who are convinced it exists), but it really is essentially duplicating an existing functionality. Practically EVERY cellphone on this planet has an associated e-mail address. If you can send a picture via e-mail, you can send a picture to a cellphone. Done. The MMS feature is rather low on the to-do list for the iPhone for very obvious reasons. It just isn't that important. And the numbers bear that out.
Really? That's a new one on me.
MMS is far better supported by handsets and can reach a wider number of mobile phone users than email. Sure, the users will get the message when they log into their PC but if I'm trying to send something akin to an MMS then I likely want them to get the content ASAP, not when they reach their desktop.
Really? That's a new one on me.
Oh please LTD, the only people who have email addresses on their phones are people who use blackberrys or WinMob devices. 4 people out of my 50 phone contacts have email on their phone.
Really? That's a new one on me.
Oh please LTD, the only people who have email addresses on their phones are people who use blackberrys or WinMob devices. 4 people out of my 50 phone contacts have email on their phone.
Everyone has an email address, we know that. It's whether people are actively accessing their account via their phone which is being debated. Whether you are given or already have an email address is pretty meaningless unless you also have a data plan AND have it configured on the handset AND have contacts who have also set up email on their end as well.
Email doesn't replace MMS if your other contacts can only get the message from their PC because they are not set up to get emails on the handset.
Also the other thing is Email is largely a Pull based service as opposed to a push based one like SMS and MMS. Even if the contacts have email configured you still have to hope they have the client set to check the server frequently otherwise it could be some time before they get the message. While SMS is hardly a reliable service, at least you can "usually" assume a fairly quick transmission and retrieval by the other party. I say usually as sometimes SMS can take a bloody age to reach their destination, especially during high congestion times.
So yeah, it helps ease the issue by giving you some notification but unless your phones set up for it it still won't get you your message as you noticed
Really? That's a new one on me.
Actually it's true. Most will have one that allow you to send either a SMS or MMS directly to the user's cell phone via email.
Email doesn't replace MMS if your other contacts can only get the message from their PC because they are not set up to get emails on the handset.
Also the other thing is Email is largely a Pull based service as opposed to a push based one like SMS and MMS. Even if the contacts have email configured you still have to hope they have the client set to check the server frequently otherwise it could be some time before they get the message. While SMS is hardly a reliable service, at least you can "usually" assume a fairly quick transmission and retrieval by the other party. I say usually as sometimes SMS can take a bloody age to reach their destination, especially during high congestion times.
The email address is provided by the cell provider. It is received in and converted to either a SMS or MMS depending on the address used. Nothing special is necessary on the cell phone and they only require a messaging plan of some kind (most have one if they do any significant texting). MMS usually requires a data plan or you get charged by the KB.
Perhaps where you guys live but here in Australia I don't know of any companies that do that and I've been with 2 or 3 of the bigger ones over the years. One did at one point send you a link that you could use to retrieve the mms online but as before, thats not the same as getting the message directly. Also it doesn't cost anything to retrieve MMS here, only to send.
It's still not a great solution for cases when that isn't your primary email address either as often contacts will choose to send to that one over any network assigned one. Converting to a sms would also somewhat defeat the point, only a conversion to mms is really getting you what you were after initially which is a message with multimedia on it.
What are the obvious reasons? There is a convenience for sending pictures to phone numbers. That's what technology is all about. And it's what Apple likes to push down people's throats. Convenience and ease of use. The iphone lacks this quality.
Do you mean it isn't important to you?
Not sure what numbers bear out your observation but even on Macwrold website they state that missing MMS is a rather obvious misfire.
It's only uselesss compared to sending an email of an image to a phone if the phone your sending it to has an email account setup on it.
The vast majority of handset have MMS setup, compared to a minority of consumers that have email.
It's basic functionality that should have been included from the first release. Same with copy and paste, 3rd party application support and a raft of other "features" that low-end smart phones have had for years as well as a number of standard consumer normal phones.
No, because it depends on the receiving end to have a mail account configured, and that's more of an exception than the rule where I live. The MMS penetration is VERY high in parts of Europe.
* Copy & Paste missing
* MMS missing
* The ability to easily add ringtones or even just select a track from my library
* Change the email, voice mail, calendar alerts tones and volume
* Turn down the volume on the clock alarm or have it increase in volume the longer it goes on
* 2 Mega Pixels for a camera is well below par by today's standards
* Video recording
* Cannot attach files to emails from within the email itself
* Synchronise Tasks with Exchange
* When adding IMAP (not sure about POP3) allow to set the security at initial setup screen
* Create/Edit Word documents etc
* Create meeting invitations
* Create mail folders
* Turn by Turn navigation
Not Likely
* MMS missing
See above
* The ability to easily add ringtones or even just select a track from my library
Already doable via iTunes
* Change the email, voice mail, calendar alerts tones and volume
Ok. I agree there.
* Turn down the volume on the clock alarm or have it increase in volume the longer it goes on
Same for that.
* 2 Mega Pixels for a camera is well below par by today's standards
Please consider in the size of the picture. 2MP is enough. Also megapixel doesn't matter as much as the quality of the CCD being used. The 2MP camera in the iPhone out-performs some 5MP that I have used in the past. :p
* Video recording
It is doable since there are application available for jailbroken phones to do this.
* Cannot attach files to emails from within the email itself
Hmm...
* Synchronise Tasks with Exchange
Agreed (for business users)
* When adding IMAP (not sure about POP3) allow to set the security at initial setup screen
Why?
* Create/Edit Word documents etc
Why?
* Create meeting invitations
Agreed (for business users)
* Create mail folders
Actually don't know why that is missing... Apple get on the ball.
* Turn by Turn navigation
It already does this with the GPS.
To add to dreams list i would like to see opera and firefox mobile browsers allowed to run on it too but ohwell.
And mobile office suite for it would be quite cool too.
It just uploads the media to a internet link, you open it in your browser, and it shows. Not true MMS.
iPhone = Fail.
It just uploads the media to a internet link, you open it in your browser, and it shows. Not true MMS.
iPhone = Fail.
True - the iPhone is an interface revolution, financial winner (for the operators/Apple) but a technical failure.
I wouldn't be suprised if they end up having the real deal in another version of the iPhone mind - however the current generation have to deal with this workaround hack.
It just uploads the media to a internet link, you open it in your browser, and it shows. Not true MMS.
iPhone = Fail.
This is basically what it already does on other phones and networks when they receive an MMS but don't have MMS capability (or you're sending an MMS cross-country) - the receiver gets a text with a URL which you can select and display image. As you say, not true MMS.
I wouldn't call it a technical failure, just there are alot of missed oppounities. The touch screen technically is very impressive not just from an interface perspective and while it is a closed platform they have managed to really get developers excited in the device through the store via the SDK which of course requires a technical foundation for that to be supported.
But yes, it's in no way perfect but theres alot of far worse performing devices out there technically.
Wake up iPhone owners, you don't have to follow the "cool" crowd, get yourself a decent phone instead - there's lots to choose from, in fact ANY phone is better
I don't like N95's, I hate HTC phones. I'm not saying there rubbish(which some of them actually are slow etc etc, I've had many and I use HTC s730 for work)
Just because the phone doesn't fit your needs doesn't make it rubbish. Iphone has some great features I enjoy.
Safari is best browser you'll find on mobile phone at the minute. SMS grouping like conversation is fantastic(one of the rest I got the phone), Built in Ipod = best music player you'll find on a mobile phone, that's backed up by the amount of users who use ipods and itouchs.
As for MMS Swirly MMS does this pretty easliy and it takes 1minute to jail break your phone and then add swirly, You have to pay for it but it does MMS. I have it and it works fine. I don't use it and I wouldn't miss it if it didn't exist. MMS is something you think should be there but if it didn't exist would you really miss it?
All I'm saying is Iphone is a personal choice, just like any other phone. But because it's apple your gonna have fan boys and general haters. UI is best you'll see on a phone. You will always get updates and new features.
I prefer Iphone over another mobile because it does what I need. It personal choice, Why do people get the N95/N96? when you can get cheaper nokia phones that do all the same stuff? again personal choice. All this stupid arguing it's rubbish/its great/its rubbish it's great is getting a bit tiring now. The amount of phones sold show how good it is. that's it really. My first and only apple product. (I'm a Microsoft fan boy, Well at least I use to be)
LOL built in ipod lol i can do the same through windows media player on a windows mobile phone, strange how thats backed up by people who use other apple products hmmmm.
Also i don't have to flash my phone with hacked firmware to get all these so called "features", like copy and paste, MMS, etc. Lol even my HTC phone does SMS grouping per contact. I have a HTC Touch Pro running stock WinMob 6.1. Does everything i need and more than the iphone does out of the box.
LOL the only reason it sold so well was because apple radically droped the price of the thing, go compair the sales when the price was high to the sales of when it dropped, you will notice an increase in iphone sales.......
LOL built in ipod lol i can do the same through windows media player on a windows mobile phone, strange how thats backed up by people who use other apple products hmmmm.
Also i don't have to flash my phone with hacked firmware to get all these so called "features", like copy and paste, MMS, etc. Lol even my HTC phone does SMS grouping per contact. I have a HTC Touch Pro running stock WinMob 6.1. Does everything i need and more than the iphone does out of the box.
LOL the only reason it sold so well was because apple radically droped the price of the thing, go compair the sales when the price was high to the sales of when it dropped, you will notice an increase in iphone sales.......
Don't have to flash your phone with hacked firmware to get MMS, all you do is run a quick setup file and it modify's the current firmware.....
Ipod feature in the Iphone is much better than windows media player in Windows mobile(surely you cant doubt that?).
Point being it still sold well. for a first time phone it does it is is a job well done. Like I said I use windows mobile also and it comes nowhere near the ease of use of the Iphone and that is company who has been doing a Mobile OS for how long?
But you missed my main point. It is personal choice for a phone. Just because it doesn't have the features of another mobile doesn't make it a rubbish phone. That is what I was tying to get at. It does everything I need to do, there for it is a phone I prefer to use. I got the phone because I like it. Not because its an apple phone and I need it to be cool. Infact how the hell does it make you look cool or good? It's a phone for Christ sake.
I've never had someone tell me I'm cool because I have an Iphone let alone another other type of Gadget lol
Would people complain so much if this was a Nokia or Sony phone?
It's all personal choice. The phone suits my needs. That is the reason I have it. I have no complaints about it.
If the time comes when I need something that does more than what the Iphone does I will change it. But that time hasn't came yet.
Its actually pretty sad. That being said, I give Apple all the market credit in the world even though their products are utter crap. But of course: Apple is "cool" and preppy while all the others suck.
Am I missing something? Maybe I need to relocate to one of these towns/country's where people think your cool cause you have something from Apple.
I got it because it's an interesting platform to develop for (as I plan on releasing my own apps for it), not because it makes me look "cool", hell I really really don't give a **** about what other people think of me.
No company in the world trying to start in the extremly volitile mobile market would come in head long with a 100% product. It costs £££'s to develop. It makes much more sence to bring in a product and test the waters so to speak.
The iPhone is far from perfect but from what it was its a vast improvement.
Getting back on to the subject and not the flame war this post has turned into. I rarely used MMS but it was nice to have. Id like to see it and the ability to send bluetooth pictures in the next iphone.
http://www.theiphoneblog.com/2009/01/16/im...phone-portugal/
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