Website design By BotEap.comIn iOS 7, the Messages app will display conversations with a green or blue background. If you’ve used iOS 6, you may have noticed that messages had a green or blue Send button. These colors are not random and actually tell you if the message will be sent as a regular SMS text message or as an iMessage.

Website design By BotEap.comGreen is for an SMS text message

Website design By BotEap.comThe green background or Send button indicates that the message will be sent as a normal SMS text message using the messaging plan provided by your cell phone provider. Regular text message rates will apply, depending on your text message plan.

Website design By BotEap.comSMS text is used automatically when you send a text to someone who doesn’t have an Apple device. For example, if you are texting someone with a basic cell phone (not a smartphone) or any smartphone other than an iPhone (Android, BlackBerry, Windows…), your iPhone will display the message on a green background (or have a green Submit button for iOS 6 users). SMS text messaging has been around for years, even before the iPhone and everyone had basic cell phones.

Website design By BotEap.comBlue is for iMessage

Website design By BotEap.comThe blue background or Send button indicates that the message will be sent as iMessage.

Website design By BotEap.comApple sends an iMessage instead of your cell phone provider. The iMessage is sent through an Internet connection instead of through the control channel of the cell phone. Your cell phone provider does not charge fees for text messages when sending an iMessage.

Website design By BotEap.comWhen you send a message to someone with an Apple device, your iPhone automatically recognizes if the sender has an Apple ID and sends the message as an iMessage. On your iPhone, the message will display with a blue background (or have a blue Send button for iOS 6 users).

Website design By BotEap.comApple routes iMessages based on a user’s Apple ID. So anyone with an iPad or a Mac computer can send iMessages. However, because the iPad or Mac computer does not have access to a cell phone control channel, it cannot send regular SMS text messages.

Website design By BotEap.comYour iPhone automatically determines whether a message is sent as a regular SMS text message or as an iMessage. There is no need to worry about selecting one method or the other. However, if you want some control over when an SMS text or iMessage is sent, check out the messaging options in your iPhone’s settings.