You can finally reply to text messages on iOS via Pebble, but only on AT&T

[Wireless News]

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/9cV.aNnDHX4u7BFiBHQrSA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztmaT1maWxsO2g9ODY7cT03NTt3PT EzMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/homerun/digital_trends_973/c73b4d2ff13c1e2e310ff67ca17f36e1 (http://news.yahoo.com/finally-reply-text-messages-ios-164440106.html)Pebble’s done a clever job of working around some of the security limitations imposed by iOS — you can view notifications, control music playback, and answer phone calls, for example — but one restriction that’s dogged it for years is texting. A new Pebble feature in beta, Text Reply, may finally deliver that functionality to some watch owners, but with a gargantuan catch: You’ll need AT&T service. Text Reply doesn’t seem all that complicated on the surface. From a user’s perspective, it works much the same way as Pebble’s text messaging feature on Android: You can reply with voice or a number of predefined-responses. But the unusual carrier prerequisite, the Pebble team explained-in a blog post, is due to the MacGyvered-way Text Reply works: Instead of routing text message replies through a paired iPhone, integration exclusive to-Apple’s own Apple Watch, the feature relies on an Internet-connected AT&T server to deliver messages-to-the intended recipient. Related: Pebble Time Round, the world’s thinnest and lightest circular smartwatch, is on sale Nov. 8 Even if you do have AT&T, Text Reply isn’t perfect. It-doesn’t work with group messages, replies sent from the Pebble watch to iMessage texts are sent as-SMS messages rather than iMessages, and texts-won’t appear in the messaging app on the iPhone. Pebble says it’s working with AT&T and other carriers to improve compatibility. The launch of Text Reply comes as competition in the smartwatch market heats up. Huawei, LG, and Motorola have debuted new Android Wear watches in the past few months. HP-announced partnerships-with fashion-brands Titan and Movado this year.-And in recent months, Swiss-timepieces companies-TAG Heurer and Creor have launched smartwatches of their-own.-Pebble hasn’t taken the competition sitting down — it launched the ultra-thin Pebble Time Round in November — but it remains to be seen how it’ll fare against the encroaching crowd. Pebble says Text Reply’s compatible with Pebble Time, Time Steel, and Time Round models running firmware version 3.7 or higher. Also watch: Huawei Talkband B2 - Hands On Please enable Javascript to watch this video



More... (http://news.yahoo.com/finally-reply-text-messages-ios-164440106.html)