Same problem here and I know quite a few people who've had these issues as well.
iMessage is a huge mess - even if you're still using your iPhone. Back in December, when I was still on iPhone, I went in a month-long trip abroad. Since data roaming still costs a fortune, I had data switched off most of the time. I'd just connect on wifi whenever possible and occasionally switched on the data connection when I really needed to get online while on the go.
Yet, despite the fact that I was roaming and that I had my data connection switched off, most of the text messages that my iOS-using contacts sent me were sent via iMessage instead of plain SMS. Which meant that I'd only get their message when I went back online, hours and sometimes days later.
I know of a relationship that ended because of iMessages. They had had a fight and he texted her to apologize and then he never received any responses (they went straight to his computer) and then she got more upset, he thought she wasn't talking to him, etc.
The type of message sent should not matter at all. (I realize that's not what you're saying.)
And people have their own individual and transient needs. If a text message makes it easier to say you're sorry, then there's nothing wrong with it. Particular if that's already an accepted and normal way to communicate between the parties.
The problem wasn't that he sent it by text, the problem was that the relationship was too weak to withstand N hours of no communication. It was going to break anyway.
Haha, yeah it wasn't exactly mean to last, but this didn't help matters. Hey, you could even say iMessages helped them do the right thing. Good guy iMessages.
I had exactly the same issue on holiday last year. When out and about I wouldn't see any messages and then as soon as I got back to wifi they'd all come through.
Just another of the many apple straws that have been breaking the camel's back for me recently. The fact that it could haunt me even after I completely leave their platform is truly disturbing.
I feel that this issue needs a lot of noise. Bug or not it should be filed under non-competitive behaviour.
My wife recently got an iPhone so we now both have one. We have tried everything we can possibly think of, but we cannot send each other iMessages, only SMS.
iMessage is a huge mess - even if you're still using your iPhone. Back in December, when I was still on iPhone, I went in a month-long trip abroad. Since data roaming still costs a fortune, I had data switched off most of the time. I'd just connect on wifi whenever possible and occasionally switched on the data connection when I really needed to get online while on the go.
Yet, despite the fact that I was roaming and that I had my data connection switched off, most of the text messages that my iOS-using contacts sent me were sent via iMessage instead of plain SMS. Which meant that I'd only get their message when I went back online, hours and sometimes days later.