Apple releases new fix for lost iMessage texts

SAN MATEO, Calif. — Apple has a released a new fix to its iMessage app that's supposed to solve a problem that has long irked cellphone users who switch to non-Apple phones: trouble getting text messages.

Users who have replaced their iPhones with Android or Windows phones can now deregister their phone number with Apple on the Apple website, according to a customer support page. Or, they can continue to follow an existing work-around for ex-iPhone users who still have their iPhones. That is, place their SIM card back in the old iPhone, go to settings and turn off iMessages. Then wait.

The latest update from Apple gives customers a fix that doesn't require use of the original iPhone — necessary for all the people who sell their phones or find themselves shopping for new phones because their iPhones were lost or broken.

Apple's iMessage texting app, which only works on Apple devices, has an advantage over other phone texting. IMessage can do all sorts of things — tell you whether the other party is typing, for instance, and copy the responses to the user's other Apple devices. Perhaps most notably for telecom carriers, it operates as an anti-SMS app. If one's iPhone is connected to the Internet, a flurry of messages can happen without using tons of cell-phone minutes.

The downside of keeping the iMessage communication within the Apple product and ecosystem was that when a contact using an iPhone sent a text to the user's number on a non-Apple phone, the message would get stuck trying to send it to the iMessage app on the user's old iPhone. Lots of "lost texts," and frustration ensued.

Apple had previously said users with lost text messages could call its customer support and deregister the phone, though some reported getting the runaround there. The fix is supposed to make it easier to leave the ecosystem, but not all the friends and family who already have your cellphone number.