# Request for group messages



## hrdcorejordan (Sep 27, 2011)

A few of my friends have apple's and they send out these group messages unfortunately we don't see how they see it and id like to. So I'm requesting compatible group chat with apple .
If there is anything I can do to help, I'm available.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## ikithme (Jun 6, 2011)

Pictures of the differences would be good.


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## ERIFNOMI (Jun 30, 2011)

I hate when people with iPhones group text me. I don't need an MMS asking if I want to play some xbox.


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## hrdcorejordan (Sep 27, 2011)

The way it shows on ours are all individual messages not one..
Apple is one and if you want to have individual conversation you can because this is just a bundle of one individual message

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## mssam (Feb 20, 2012)

When someone post a topic here, isn't that essentially the same thing as what you're describing? You see who is participating in a group discussion when a topic is posted. If someone else joins the discussion (topic thread), you then see them as well. How is what you're describing different?


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## hrdcorejordan (Sep 27, 2011)

? Basically I want to help the movement of this group message/party text idea to android because I find it cool and I'm sure dome other users do and would as well.. 
I see the messages individually they don't because its set up as a party chat

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

handcent annoyingly does that I believe.


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## jt1134 (Jun 9, 2011)

I'm glad none of my friends have ever posted a screenshot of my phone number on a internet forum >_<

Sent from my SCH-I500 using RootzWiki


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## Mustang302LX (Jun 28, 2011)

I hate group sms on Android. That's the ONLY feature from iOS I want...well we have most of iOS features now as they "borrowed" them from Android anyways.


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## blaineevans (Jul 11, 2011)

yarly said:


> I hate group sms on Android. That's the ONLY feature from iOS I want...well we have most of iOS features now as they "borrowed" them from Android anyways.


^ This guy loves iOS.


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

It's not whether it can be implemented or not so much as if other people you use it with also have support.


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## ERIFNOMI (Jun 30, 2011)

yarly said:


> It's not whether it can be implemented or not so much as if other people you use it with also have support.


Or even want it...


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## haroutter (Mar 30, 2012)

GoSMS does this. You just have to enable it in send settings

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## Joesyr (Feb 7, 2012)

As far as I know, all that iPhones do is write some extra metadata to an MMS, so making a program that's compatible means:
-Figure out what sort of metadata is written
-Make your program read it in the same way iPhones do
-Make your program write it in the same way iPhones do

Because it's not some sort of standard that Apple is pioneering and trying to get adopted, but just their own little MMS trick, google might be intentionally not baking it into aosp (could be perfect fodder for another lawsuit if apple ever tried to patent "a method for sending messages to multiple recipients"). As people have already noted, third party messaging apps have already done all of this; if you want it in the stock MMS app you'd probably need to play with the source to accommodate it in the same way.

I don't think there are really compatibility issues because everyone without the mod would just have the same experience as if you were an iphone user sending them messages, which is that you receive the message just fine but can only reply to the sender, not the other recipients noted in the metadata.


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

Joesyr said:


> As far as I know, all that iPhones do is write some extra metadata to an MMS, so making a program that's compatible means:
> -Figure out what sort of metadata is written
> -Make your program read it in the same way iPhones do
> -Make your program write it in the same way iPhones do
> ...


Easier just to decompile go sms or handcent and see how they do it.


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## kingkurmudgeon (Feb 19, 2012)

I knew that iPhones handled group messages differently but I didn't know how (I've never really used one). I'm glad the OP brought this up. In any case (Android or Apple fanaticism aside) I think people can agree that this way displays group messages better and would just add further polish to the Android user experience. I'm all for it.


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## irvine32 (Jul 14, 2011)

kingkurmudgeon said:


> I knew that iPhones handled group messages differently but I didn't know how (I've never really used one). I'm glad the OP brought this up. In any case (Android or Apple fanaticism aside) I think people can agree that this way displays group messages better and would just add further polish to the Android user experience. I'm all for it.


Agreed


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## justinsane (Jan 23, 2012)

My buddies and I use Google + messenger. Blows SMS away. Group chat is amazing. You can have multiple side chats too.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus


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## FIRE AND ICE (Aug 15, 2011)

justinsane said:


> My buddies and I use Google + messenger. Blows SMS away. Group chat is amazing. You can have multiple side chats too.
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus


I agree. Google + messenger is a better alternative.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


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## Mustang302LX (Jun 28, 2011)

FIRE AND ICE said:


> I agree. Google + messenger is a better alternative.
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


While it might be cool to use it is not something everyone has yet. Until then group SMS is far superior.


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## ERIFNOMI (Jun 30, 2011)

kingkurmudgeon said:


> I knew that iPhones handled group messages differently but I didn't know how (I've never really used one). I'm glad the OP brought this up. In any case (Android or Apple fanaticism aside) I think people can agree that this way displays group messages better and would just add further polish to the Android user experience. I'm all for it.


You'd think so...unless you don't want to talk to all the other people in the group chat.

Look, if it's added as part of stock messaging, I'll be fine with it. There just some stupid iPhone users out there...


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## dhaliwal925 (Jun 7, 2011)

I personally hate the way I get everyone's replies when my only friend with an Ican'tPhone sends a group message. If anything implement a block of some kind lol.


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## abezzilla99 (Apr 24, 2012)

I would love this to be implemented into messaging some way. Everyone but myself has an iphone in my family and I cant be part of all the group chats and the way android handles group text is a pain because not everyone can see what is said in one centralized thread. I can't really help with coding but if I could help in any way to make this a reality I will just send me a message or reply to me in this thread.


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## tct08 (Jul 16, 2011)

On a slightly related note, is it even possible to send texts to a group (such as family, or a custom created group) in the standard Android or iOS-like style? I haven't found anything in the stock app though I can do it via GoSMS.


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## mssam (Feb 20, 2012)

Hey, I can understand if someone wants a messaging app for android that that has an iphone look and is compatible with iphones. Maybe a miui rom itself, idk, but with access things like google+, tapa, irc, etc., isn't group messaging a thing of the past? I have a lot of friends and co-workers and none of them group messaging anymore. I'm all for seeing someone bring an idea into fruition, but I thought group messaging fell to the way side a while ago...


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## abezzilla99 (Apr 24, 2012)

mssam said:


> Hey, I can understand if someone wants a messaging app for android that that has an iphone look and is compatible with iphones. Maybe a miui rom itself, idk, but with access things like google+, tapa, irc, etc., isn't group messaging a thing of the past? I have a lot of friends and co-workers and none of them group messaging anymore. I'm all for seeing someone bring an idea into fruition, but I thought group messaging fell to the way side a while ago...


 I do see your point but there is no service that integrates into the stock messaging app and uses your phone number the way imessage does, also its a hassle to get all of your friends and family to get an app like whatsapp to do group convos.


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## kingkurmudgeon (Feb 19, 2012)

I feel like many of you in this thread are getting caught up in iPhone stigma. It's not as though Android lacks any form of group messaging, it's just that the current implementation is messy and lacks polish. If I knew of some other platform like Windows Phone or RIM or even an overlay like Touchwiz did this better, than I'd be suggesting whatever their better implementation. One way or another, I feel pretty positive that Google/AOSP will clean this up in further iterations of Android.


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## ks3rv3rg (Aug 13, 2011)

You might not beable to send to a set group on android but you can. Choose as many people as you want to send a text to at one time. I don't get what peoples issue is. Type one name or phone, then the others that you want to send that text to. Not hard and not messy really.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## kingkurmudgeon (Feb 19, 2012)

I'm not saying you can't send group messages at present, I'm saying that I agree with the OP's idea that group messages could stand a revamp. In our current implementation, it just shows a message for each individual 1-on-1 correspondence sent. Sort of like BCC'ing in an email. I'm looking for an option to have a group chat sort of format, where the whole conversation is shown in one message.

Were my posts that hard to understand?


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## malibu_23 (Jul 27, 2012)

GroupME does this and integrates into stock.
Only the group starter needs the app. Everyone you add does not. It just shows one thread where all responses go.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


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## JetBlk (Jun 28, 2012)

On another note, I'm pretty sure motorola has this too. My friend does group messaging on his Droid RAZR and laughed at me when I told him my Galaxy Nexus didn't have it. He group messages all the time with iphone users and other razr users.


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## tct08 (Jul 16, 2011)

ks3rv3rg said:


> You might not beable to send to a set group on android but you can. Choose as many people as you want to send a text to at one time. I don't get what peoples issue is. Type one name or phone, then the others that you want to send that text to. Not hard and not messy really.
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


And if you need to send to 5 people? 10? Your "solution" to input each recipient each time is inefficient.


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## EasilyAmused (Oct 24, 2011)

Group SMS sucks balls. I am constantly getting SMS from people I don't know or care about hearing from because they have iPhones that they don't know how to use and reply all by default. Annoying as hell.


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## kveldkamp (Aug 27, 2012)

I know i'm not the first to post a topic on the state of group MMS in android, but it still angers me so much that there is no feasible workout around for it. Group MMS has been around for years in BBM, why can't it be baked into aosp? Developers at motorola have done it, and we all know how great BLUR is... . I guess i'm just asking some developer out there (preferably guys at BAMF, CM, or AOKP) to work with the code and implement a mms.apk that actually works for real life group mms. I know all about handcent and gosms and have tried both. handcent has a painfully ugly UI and I never got mms to work fully and gosms works most of the time, but from time to time it caused my gnex to freeze and FC, just from a few group messages, this should not be the case.
Most of my friends I ask about this topic simply say they don't see the need for it, and maybe alot of android people out there don't but Lets be honest, we all have friends with iPhones and it sucks to be the guy left out of the group convo


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## yarly (Jun 22, 2011)

Solution: use handcent or some other third party sms that supports group messaging. If you want to use stock sms, you'll probably be waiting a while to have group messaging added as the sms app on Android has not changed much in ages.


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## ncwildcat (Jun 30, 2011)

It is available on newer HTC sense phones, as well as blur based phones (RAZR)...I do miss this feature from my RAZR...


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## kveldkamp (Aug 27, 2012)

I'll admit I'm not a developer of any sort, but I have been scouring the forums looking for an implementation of the group messaging feature used in iMessage. (Save your 'witty' remarks about telling to me to switch to iPhone then, its not gonna happen). I've come up blank until now, when i stumbled across this article that claims to implement the feature into stock aosp JB for the vzw gnex.
I'm not really qualified to check out this code, but it'd be much appreciated if someone with more knowledge could check it out.

http://forums.androidcentral.com/verizon-galaxy-nexus-rooting-roms-hacks/207431-group-text-messaging-jb-achieved.html


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## jakeday (Dec 24, 2011)

I just compiled a MOD if you happen to be using my Jelly Belly ROM for the vzw gnex. This works with 7.1 or 7.2. Here you go:

http://d-h.st/xrO


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## milan616 (Jun 21, 2011)

Another option: Handcent with the group messaging plug-in.


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## fused2explode (Jan 6, 2012)

milan616 said:


> Another option: Handcent with the group messaging plug-in.


There's a reason we don't use it


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## Redflea (Jun 7, 2011)

Just want to confirm - both of these options have a similar requirement:

- OP's mod - Everyone has to be on JB, and everyone has to have the modified messaging app included in their ROM and use the stock messaging app.

- Handcent - Everyone else has to use Handcent w/the group messaging plug-in

Assuming above is correct, this seems to make these types of solutions hard to benefit from in the real world, where other people I text with are using other Android SMS apps, other Android OSs (JB is only on about 2% of phones IIRC), iPhones, Windows phones, or dumbphones.

Don't get me wrong, what the OP has done is a cool mod, but it does seem that in our heterogeneous mobile phone world, group SMS is a tough nut.


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## kveldkamp (Aug 27, 2012)

Redflea said:


> Just want to confirm - both of these options have a similar requirement:
> 
> - OP's mod - Everyone has to be on JB, and everyone has to have the modified messaging app included in their ROM and use the stock messaging app.
> 
> ...


Shoot, I had no idea, well anyways hope this somehow spurs on more development

Edit: But Handcent can respond to other phones that have group messaging (Razr's iPhones etc..) just those that respond in a singular sms (most android phones) aren't included in the group text, so maybe this Mod will work similarly?


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## monkey082506 (Jan 30, 2012)

Best app I have found is actually from Verizon. VZW Messages, brings all messages from the group in and lets you respond in turn. I was shocked to see Big Red to something useful.


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## kveldkamp (Aug 27, 2012)

monkey082506 said:


> Best app I have found is actually from Verizon. VZW Messages, brings all messages from the group in and lets you respond in turn. I was shocked to see Big Red to something useful.


I don't mean to come off sounding as rude, but the point of this forum is to find a solution to group messaging WITHOUT 3rd party apps, the fact that an app that verizon of all people can produce can handle group messaging makes want to beg google to just bake it into AOSP. I hope there's a reason that it's not, and they didn't feel like just making us wait.


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## Erbeck.M (Dec 28, 2011)

jakeday said:


> I just compiled a MOD if you happen to be using my Jelly Belly ROM for the vzw gnex. This works with 7.1 or 7.2. Here you go:
> 
> http://d-h.st/xrO


Will this only work on jelly belly? Does it change more than simply the stock mms app to a modified version?


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## Redflea (Jun 7, 2011)

Erbeck.M said:


> Will this only work on jelly belly? Does it change more than simply the stock mms app to a modified version?


It's for jelly belly and includes the framework from that ROM, so it could break things on other ROMs.


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## Joesyr (Feb 7, 2012)

Fitsnuggly's CM10 Kang (Jellybro) includes this feature in the stock MMS app as of today's build.
Link (download there is for toro, other phones in side panel)


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## hrdcorejordan (Sep 27, 2011)

I have the best ideas aha 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## Art Vandelay (Jan 4, 2012)

Thanks for mentioning the vzw messages app. I know its not what the OP wanted, but it is a nice messaging app.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


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## playa1257 (Sep 13, 2012)

You can check my post in Android Central. I have an experimental CM 10 ROM with the code I developed to solve this issue.

http://forums.androidcentral.com/verizon-galaxy-nexus-rooting-roms-hacks/207431-group-text-messaging-jb-achieved.html


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## playa1257 (Sep 13, 2012)

Redflea said:


> Just want to confirm - both of these options have a similar requirement:
> 
> - OP's mod - Everyone has to be on JB, and everyone has to have the modified messaging app included in their ROM and use the stock messaging app.
> 
> ...


My mod is nothing like Handcent. I wouldn't pawn off something so menial as groundbreaking.

My mod will work with EVERYONE!!!

i repeat... EVERYONE!!!

i have tested it with messages sent and received from iPhones and Moto Droid.


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## Redflea (Jun 7, 2011)

playa1257 said:


> My mod is nothing like Handcent. I wouldn't pawn off something so menial as groundbreaking.
> 
> My mod will work with EVERYONE!!!
> 
> ...


LOL...I hope no one from Handcent is watching. ;-)

Seriously, I had no intention to equate your work w/Hancent, just wondering about how the experience would be across different phones.

So as I was reading your reply, I realized that since I've never used a group texting-enabled app, I don't really have a full understanding of what the user experience is like. Can you (or someone who's used your mod) describe it?

Say for example, that I'm running your mod and want to start up a text conversation w/three other people. I add their addresses to a text "to" field, type the text content, and send. So what happens next?

- Do the three recipients of my text see an indication in their messaging app that the text has gone to two other people besides themselves? Or does it look like a normal single-recipient text to them? 
- When one of them replies to the group text, will the two other recipients be copied as well as me? Or does the reply just go back to me, the original sender? 
- Is a thread in my messaging app created that allows me to see all replies to the messages from all recipients, and reply back to them all by sending another message in that thread?

What else did I miss?

Thanks for clarifications...


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## thesoldier (Jan 25, 2012)

Redflea said:


> LOL...I hope no one from Handcent is watching. ;-)
> 
> Seriously, I had no intention to equate your work w/Hancent, just wondering about how the experience would be across different phones.
> 
> ...


1) yes, everyone can see that your message went to a number of people. Even if one person doesn't have an iPhone and doesn't have a group text enabled app, they can tell it went to others. It does come in as a single recipient text though. (It's an MMS and will list all the numbers if you goto details)

2)if someone replies, it will go to everyone that you initially included. (Unless their app doesn't support group texts, it will just come to you)

3)it's all one thread that contains the messages from everyone.

At least that's how iPhone and gosms/handcent does it. Looks like this.









Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2


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## kveldkamp (Aug 27, 2012)

Installed euroskank's new kang of cm10 on my phone and have succesfully started/ recieved new group messages from all my roommates with iPhones, so I'd say succesful! my only wish is now that I could see all the recipients in the group message similar to GOsms (see screenshot above), as the current stock texting app only lets you see how many people and a short list with a '....' at the end (ex. I send to kara, liz, alex, eric and justin, and it will say sent to 5 people and then say kara, liz, alex.... without giving me an option to see everyone else in the group message (read. expand the list). But hey i'm just happy I can group message!


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## mikeymop (Jun 28, 2011)

ks3rv3rg said:


> GroupME does this and integrates into stock.
> Only the group starter needs the app. Everyone you add does not. It just shows one thread where all responses go.
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


Where did you get this modded apk?


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## Redflea (Jun 7, 2011)

thesoldier said:


> 1) yes, everyone can see that your message went to a number of people. Even if one person doesn't have an iPhone and doesn't have a group text enabled app, they can tell it went to others. It does come in as a single recipient text though. (It's an MMS and will list all the numbers if you goto details)
> 
> 2)if someone replies, it will go to everyone that you initially included. (Unless their app doesn't support group texts, it will just come to you)
> 
> ...


Excellent, thanks for the summary...


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## anmtrn (Jul 27, 2011)

mikeymop said:


> Oh shoot, very true. I very often send a few canned texts to multiple recipients. I would hate accidentally starting group mms because I want to send to more than one recipient.
> 
> Where did you get this modded apk?


That's go SMS he is running.

Question though: can the bubble messaging mod be also included along with the added group sms??

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


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## mikeymop (Jun 28, 2011)

anmtrn said:


> That's go SMS he is running.
> 
> Question though: can the bubble messaging mod be also included along with the added group sms??
> 
> Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


Wow, he got goSMS to look THAT much like stock?


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## anmtrn (Jul 27, 2011)

mikeymop said:


> Wow, he got goSMS to look THAT much like stock?


Pretty hard to believe but yeah, at first I was like damn stock messaging looks sick, then I realized it was go, also is there a way to put a lock on stock messaging??

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using RootzWiki


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## komradefox (Aug 7, 2011)

I would love to see a flashable .zip for "stock" roms like the test build for JB.


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## friguy3 (Jun 11, 2011)

This is great! Been watching the thread over at the AOSP google page and as of yet, google hasnt commented on this but damn you rock! Keep up the good work and thanks!!!


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## j_t (Sep 25, 2012)

I've been waiting for this to be implemented into android for the last 3 years since I ditched the iPhone. I've tried 3rd party apps but they never seem to work well. The Verizon App has worked the best, but it's just too ugly. The other problem is I use PhoneLocator in case I lose my phone or it gets stolen, but those 3rd party apps hijack the SMS notification, so it's impossible to use both simultaneously.

Is there a list of ROMS that have this included now? Or what is the best way to implement the group messaging hack?


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## whitlecj (Apr 25, 2012)

Would love to see this implemented in LiquidSmooth!


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