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Developer(s) | Apple Inc. |
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Initial release | iOS: June 29, 2007 June 17, 2009 watchOS: April 24, 2015 (as Messages) macOS: July 25, 2012 | (as Text)
Operating system | iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS and visionOS |
Predecessor | iChat (macOS) |
License | Freeware |
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macOS |
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Messages (formerly Text) is a text messaging software application developed by Apple Inc. for its macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and visionOS operating systems.
All version of Messages support Apple's own iMessage service, while the mobile version of Messages on iOS — used on iPhone and cellular-enabled models of the iPad — also supports SMS and MMS (with RCS support planned in iOS 18[1]). Users can tell the difference between a message sent via SMS and one sent over iMessage as the bubbles will appear either green (SMS/MMS/RCS) or blue (iMessage).[2][3]
First released in 2007, the mobile version was known as Text prior to iPhone OS 3, while the desktop Messages application replaced iChat as the native OS X instant messaging client with the release of OS X Mountain Lion in 2012,[4] bringing additional support for iMessage and FaceTime integration.