Apple just released its newest iPhones last week. The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are available for pre-order now and will hit stores and ship on Sept. 22nd. While they are improved with a new processor, camera and glass design to allow for wireless charging, not much has changed in that device that still commands a high price tag. There’s also the iPhone X which is Apple’s most innovative phone, but for many it’s priced way too high to stick with the Apple ecosystem.
If you were disappointed by Apple’s latest release and are considering making the switch to Android, we don’t fault you. Keep in mind, the battle between Android and Apple has narrowed quite a bit over the past several years. That’s especially evident in the hardware with the iPhone 10 that added many features Androids have sported for years. Whether you get an Android or iPhone doesn’t really matter much these days, as they essentially do the same things. So if you are ready to jump Apple’s massive ship, make sure you follow this one important step to make your transition simpler.
Turn off iMessage before you deactivate your iPhone. It will make your life a lot easier. When you’re in the iMessage ecosystem, SMS messages and iMessages from other iPhone users go through Apple’s servers before they are redirected to your device. If you fail to deactivate your iPhone before activating your Android, those iMessages will sit on Apple’s servers with nowhere to go. That will make your friends and family question why you aren’t replying to them and will get you in a little trouble.
So turn off iMessage first. If you don’t know how to do it, we’ve got you covered below.
- Goto the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and click on Messages
- At the top of the menu, click on the slider to turn off iMessage
If you already gave your iPhone away, or traded it in, you can still deregister and deactivate iMessage from Apple’s support page here. All you have to do is enter your phone number associated with iMessage and then enter in the code that is texted to your new phone. It might take a couple of days to deregister your number, so be prepared to be patient.
Enjoy your new Android smartphone.