I have an M4 iMac and an M3 iPad Air. Can I exchange text messages with people's cell phones (over home wifi. No cell service on the iPad)?
Is that what the Apple Messages app is for? It is confusing because I have a cheap android phone and the text messages app is called Google Messages.
iMac (M4)
Thanks. I read those articles but I am completely confused. So Google Messages on my android phone is an app for sending text messages over the cell phone network but Apple Messages on my iMac/iPad is an app that has nothing whatsoever to do with sending text messages to cell phones??
Correct you can't send MMS/SMS aka text message to non Apple devices, you need an iphone to set up text forwarding again outlined in this link Forward text messages from your iPhone to other devices - Apple Support
You can only send imessage to other Apple products ipad/iphone/Macbook/ipod etc.
Click here to read the difference What is the difference between iMessage, RCS, and SMS/MMS? - Apple Support
icloud read here Set up iCloud for Messages on all your devices - Apple Support
Wow! So by downloading an app or using the safari browser I can have my own cell phone number and send and receive texts to any phone in America? I don't see where it is free but it says the minimum plan is $10 a month, that is far less than any cell phone plan. If I had to get rid of the phone altogether that would be the perfect solution! Thanks.
Thanks for that response. It is not surprising my knowledge is incomplete. That is why I am here asking questions. I have never owned an iPhone. I never had an iPad and am still learning it. I have always seen Messages on my Mac but have never used it and wondered what it did. I have no idea what SMS, MMS, or RCS is. My android phone I can text, phone call, and use contacts. I recently started using notes. Usually when I get a new computer the first thing I do is shut everything off. No iCloud. No notifications. No widgets. My old MacBook Pro, which I believe is 14 years old I think I downloaded 2 apps in 14 years. This time I am taking the opposite approach and I am turning on everything and signing up for everything. I plan on at least trying every app on my iMac and iPad. Just to see what they do. It is fun but it is a long learning curve.
Thanks for that. I guess if I wanted to I could go out and get the cheapest cell phone plan I can find. Usually that is around $15 a month. I guess as long as I have that cell phone number the Google Voice will work. Thanks again!
Of course, there is no such thing as cellular voice anymore. It is all VoLTE or over 5G.
Thanks. Please read my response.
Emmett_1944 wrote:
Is that it?
That’s it, but there are many messaging apps that also work with WiFi and don’t require Apple devices: WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, Google Meet, Facebook Messenger, etc.
Duplicate
I just doubled-checked. It's free but you do need a cellular phone number as well.
OK. Thanks. I guess if I need a cell phone to use it that might defeat the purpose.
You said you had an Android phone. Do you not?
Can I use M4 iMac or M3 iPad Air to exchange text messages with cell phones?
