Apple CEO Tim Cook Announces The iPhone 6

Apple Inc.’s new tool finally allows former iPhone users to switch off iMessage and regain control over their text messages.

Launched within the last few days without any fanfare, the new tool lets a user switch off iMessage via an app before switching away from iPhone or, if you have already made the switch, you can unregister your number from the iMessage service via the website.

The iMessage service was introduced in 2011 as a way for iPhone users to communicate with one another over data networks and Wi-Fi, without having to use the stock standard text message. In order to change to iMessage instead of text, Apple kept track of a user’s phone number. Reports then started to surface, when a user swopped to another device, that users were not receiving text messages from their friends. This was due to the fact that Apple continued to route messages through iMessage, even though the user no longer owned an Apple device.

Users were therefore required to disable iMessage before switching away from iOS in order to stop losing messages. Most users who had the frustration of messages not delivering due to iMessage had to unregister their old device from their Apple account. Some unhappy users went even further and sued Apple over the issue.

These issues are now avoidable with Apple’s new tool that provides step-by-step instructions for users who still have their Apple device to switch off the iMessage service as well as an option for users who no longer have their Apple device to insert their telephone number on the website and then receiving a confirmation code via SMS to validate their choice.

This tool, along with Google’s Switch website, now gives users the freedom to switch from iOS to Android relatively easily and worry-free.

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