Text messaging is a core component of a mobile phone's functionality. Android is blessed with many, many, many different apps to handle text messages for you, but as with any category of app. These are the best of the best to text your bestie with.
Google has announced that Google Voice users will be able to participate in group SMS thanks to the rollout of the all-new Hangouts 4.0. There are a couple of catches, but it is certainly a step in the right direction.
The weird and wacky saga of SMS on Android continues to get weird and wacky with today's release of the new Messenger app into Google Play. The free app handles SMS and MMS duties and only SMS and MMS duties, though with more than a bit of Material Design flair. First there was Messaging, Google Voice, and Google Chat; then there was only Hangouts, and now there's two again. So why a...
Pushbullet and EvolveSMS are teaming up to allow users to view and reply to text messages on their Android phone from their PCs. The software are both in beta right now so it's not quite fully baked yet, but the promise behind this partnership is similar to what Motorola had delivered on the Moto X with the Motorola Connect suite. Rather than having to reach for your phone to see and...
Going a step further on its fight against fraudulent premium SMS charges, T-Mobile will now start proactively notifying customers of unauthorized billing of premium SMS to their account. Although customers could previously request refunds for any unknown charge on their bill, this proactive approach of identifying premium SMS scams that weren't refunded goes a step further. Mike...
Starting today, you'll be able to send a text message to 911 in an emergency situation. The service will be supported by AT&T, Sprint, Verizon and T-Mobile. Text 911 is only available in a small set of select cities to start, however it will be rolled out everywhere by the end of 2014. Using the service is easy, just send a new text message to 911 with the details of your...
Samsung's IM app can take over SMS and MMS duties, but only in a couple of countries for the moment Hot on the heels of Google Hangouts growing SMS and MMS support, Samsung's ChatON messaging app has also been updated with the ability to serve as your sole SMS and MMS app. The new feature, which at present is only live in Germany and Brazil, combines text conversations with ChatON...
![T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint take stance against fraudulent premium SMS charges [update]](https://www.androidcentral.com/sites/androidcentral.com/files/styles/w300h225crop/public/postimages/444537/hangouts-sms-option.jpg?itok=omGHnX7J)
Customers continue to have the option of requesting refunds for false charges Update: The Vermont Attorney General indicates that both AT&T and Sprint have also signed on to block all premium SMS charges aside from donations, although the carriers have not released official statements on the matter. Original story: T-Mobile published a support FAQ today indicating that the carrier...
New version lets you use Google's IM app to send and receive texts As promised at last week's Google+ event, the new version of Hangouts capable of sending and receiving text messages is now rolling out through Google Play. The update to brings things up to speed with the version of Hangouts on the Nexus 5, which is the default SMS app on that device. When you first load up the updated...
Big changes are coming to the Android Hangouts client As expected. Google has announced a few new features to the Android Hangouts app during their Google+ event today. There are three new features coming: Locations sharing Animated gif support in chats SMS messaging support We reckon the first two have their fans, and we can see that they would be useful, but let's be honest...
Text messaging apps stand to get a whole lot better — and, yes, likely will include Google's own Hangouts app The Android Developers blog wants the people developing third-party SMS apps to get ready for some big changes to come with KitKat. The short version is that you can now "officially" make an application the default for sending and receiving SMS and MMS messages, as opposed to...
A welcomed feature that has been a long time coming Thousands of hearts rose and sank today when a Google Voice update landed in the play store, and it turned out to just be an update to add texting short codes to the service. While we've been holding out for a somewhat bigger update to Google Voice for some time now, we're not going to look this gift horse in the mouth. The addition of...
Two new features that came with the latest update that fix frustrating issues Google dropped Android 4.3 on us along with a whole bunch of other news last week, and while there were a few headline features of the release, nothing in particular caught our eye. Well we've had time to dig through a few of the new features that came along with Android 4.3 that weren't talked about in its...
!['SMS integration is coming soon' to Google Hangouts [Updated]](https://www.androidcentral.com/sites/androidcentral.com/files/styles/w300h225crop/public/postimages/108579/hangouts-generic.jpg?itok=SBOeg-59)
Update: Dori Storbeck now says Google has "nothing to announce at this time." Original: If you were wondering why the new Google Hangouts app asked you to confirm your phone number, this might be the reason. Googler Dori Storbeck, Community Manager for Google+ Hangouts and Chat, has confirmed in a Google+ post that SMS integration will eventually be headed to the new messaging app....
It's just a one-item changelog, but we'll take any improvements we can get From the outside looking in, it doesn't seem like Google is giving too much time towards improving the Google Voice app or service, but it certainly makes us hopeful when we see an update arrive in the Play Store. Today's update has a single item on the changelog: "Improved the reliability of SMS delivery"....
You'll be able to text from your tablet with your carrier number, but there are some UI struggles along the way As Android tablets become more and more popular -- especially the smaller 7-inch form factor -- they seem more natural to want to manage text messages from. Dinamotxt does just that by linking up your phone and tablet to give you full SMS syncing between the two. The back-end...
Verizon is updating its own messaging app today to support cross-platform syncing of SMS and MMS messages using your Verizon phone number. Users taking advantage of the Verizon Messages app on their Android phone can now carry on continuous conversations between the phone, their Android (or iOS) tablet and on the web from their computer. The apps send and receive regular SMS or MMS...
Mysms, the popular cross-platform SMS application is now available in an Android tablet optimized version. With My SMS you can send and receive text messages on your Android device (as well as other popular platforms) or your desktop running Windows or Mac OS -- complete with desktop notifications. There are even versions that run inside Evernote, Chrome or Facebook. It's a full service...
One of the most popular cross-platform word games in the mobile world, Words With Friends, has received an update tonight with a few good parts to it. First off is an interesting (and we doubt very useful) feature that lets you invite friends to games via SMS messages. Zynga also lists improvements to the notification system -- something that has been pretty hit or miss for many users....
You read that correctly - starting today, Facebook Messenger 2.0 will support sending text messages. However, that asterisk in the title denotes that there's a catch. Initially, only the HTC EVO 3D, HTC One X, LG Optimus Black, LG Optimus Hub, Samsung Galaxy Ace, Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Samsung Galaxy S3, and Samsung Galaxy Y will support texting from the app. Facebook promises that more...