Is it possible to read phone text messages online and sync them between devices?

[Stephen Tashi]

I don't send text message on my phone or pay much attention to text messages that arrive on it. However, I'm curious about the current state of text message technology. I'd think there is a great demand for the ability to read phone text messages online. From glancing at this topic on the web, it seems that some phone companies make it difficult for people to read their text messages online. By contrast there are advertisements for programs that let you read your phone text message online -and also read text messages on other people's phones! What's the actual situation?

 

[anorlunda]

Although functionally the same, there's a big difference between texting on the cell phone network and texting via online services.

Even a dumb phone with no mobile data capability can send and receive texts via the cell network.

Online text services have the freedom to let you do thinks like read your texts online.

By analogy, compare analog land-line phones with VOIP phones. In principle, they offer identical services. In detail, they are very different.

 

[S.G. Janssens]

The majority of messages I exchange is via WhatsApp, a smartphone application that uses the phone's mobile data capacity or built-in wifi instead of the standard cell network. (See post #2.) I think it is quite popular, at least in Western Europe.

Personally, I strongly dislike typing on my phone and I sit behind my computer a lot, so I was happy when I found out that WhatsApp has a fully functional web interface that synchronizes well with your phone: https://web.whatsapp.com. If you use WhatsApp, it could help you. If not, perhaps you use another smartphone application with a similar capability?

 

[harborsparrow]

Google's Android Messages app can sync exactly between Windows 10 and an Android phone. You have to link them first, but then you can use either one transparently and see the results on either device.