When iPhones first came out, they revolutionized the way we communicate across mobile networks, and most people still use them to send texts with some of the best mobile messaging apps. Apple’s iMessage, which works for all Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads and Mac computers, uses its own message file type, so senders and receivers have to use iMessage to communicate with each other. The difference between using SMS, MMS and other file types is that some of them can be used by any app and others can only be used by the same app. To use these file types, everyone who receives your messages has to use the same app.
The advantage of apps like iMessage is that they can store much larger messages than standard SMS files. They are also automatically synced across all connected devices through the user’s Apple ID, which comes with every iOS device. It’s probably not surprising that the first app on this list is iMessage, but this app deserves the top spot because it’s free and doesn’t require installation. Everyone who has an iPhone can use it to send messages of any size, and their conversations are still there as long as they have an Apple ID.
Apple iMessage
This app is the standard messaging app for iOS. It’s the default app for sending messages between Apple mobile devices and Mac users, and it has a nice interface that blends in with the iOS theme. Anyone who has iPhones for sale in Sri Lanka has certainly used iMessage to communicate with the buyer or seller. In some ways, it’s better than SMS because users aren’t charged a fee for sending messages as they are for sending text messages. The only drawback to this app is that you can’t send messages to other types of phones. Messages sent with iMessage are encrypted so that only the sender and receiver are able to read them. The biggest problem with iMessage is that you can’t exit or join a group message once it has been started. Apple has said that this problem will be fixed in iOS 8, but current users are stuck with a bad group messaging experience.
WhatsApp is one the most popular messaging apps on the iPhone, and because it works with your phone number, you can use it to send SMS messages from your phone to any other type of device. Your friends can even use it on a regular cell phone; it doesn’t require a smartphone. WhatsApp is a good messaging app for sending pictures to other people because it automatically saves the pictures you receive in your iPhone’s Camera Roll. For example, you can use WhatsApp to send a picture of your iPhones for sale to a buyer, along with a text message about a time and place to meet. Unfortunately, WhatsApp has some privacy issues for other mobile devices. Messages sent between iPhones are completely secure, but messages sent to Android phones can be accessed from the SD card. However, group messaging works very well, and you can easily change the number of people during a conversation. Overall, WhatsApp is an excellent messaging app that mostly deserves its reputation.
Telegram
Telegram is a great little app for people who worry about privacy and security. It’s a lightweight, open-source app that works with any type of smartphone or computer. You can send pictures with it, and messages are encoded in plain text. The interface looks pretty slick and nice in the iOS interface, and it starts up quickly due to its small size. The best part about Telegram is the privacy and security of its messages. They’re stored in the cloud so that you can access them from any device, and Telegram offers self-destructing messages that are erased several minutes after they have been read. It allows simple group messaging and works with SMS through your phone number. All you have to do is enter your number after downloading the app.
Sicher
This app is another one that is focused on secure messaging and privacy, so you don’t have to worry about anyone hacking your messages. This app takes privacy and security a little further, so if you’re really worried about other people reading your messages, you may want to install it. Unlike the other apps, it’s not free, but the price is very small compared to some other apps. You may have to check the iTunes Store in your area to find out how much it costs where you live. Like the other messaging apps, it has an attractive interface and displays messages as text and photos. You can start a group chat by adding each username to the conversation. If you don’t need such a high level of security, you may want to stick with Telegram, but for keeping your messages private, Sicher is the best app.
Skype
Everybody knows Skype, and most people already have a Skype ID. It’s one of the best iOS messaging apps because it allows people to send free messages to other Skype members. The iOS app has a nice-looking interface, and it works with every type of device. You can send free messages to people in other countries, as long as they have Wi-Fi or 3G Internet. One drawback of Skype is that you can’t set up group messaging with a mobile phone; you can only set it up with a computer. However, once you have the group set up, you can join it from a mobile phone. Skype is owned by Microsoft, and they don’t offer quite the same privacy guarantee that Telegram and Sicher give you. Like iMessage, though, Skype is a great app for sending messages to other people who use it.
