29 ms·

I guess simplest fix for the user is to disable MMS? I don't think its that popular feature anyway?

by forcer 11y ago

Someone1234 11y ago
I'm not sure video MMS are popular, but I send a lot of picture MMS texts. Considering it is included on T-Mobile's Simple Choice and doesn't require the recipient to sign up to some service to receive them, it is pretty convenient. If this issue got bad I might disable it. But it would be unfortunate to have to do so.
pja 11y ago
Can you actually disable MMS on Android phones? You can stop the default messaging app from automatically downloading them on my phpne, but I can’t find a way to completely disable them.
- nly 11y ago
  Is removing the MMS options under the APN enough to do this?
  - shkkmo 11y ago
    That's a good question. Presumably if your phone doesn't have network access for MMS it can't download the message in the first place?
- pmx 11y ago
  Just set you MMS settings to something that looks valid (so the phone will accept them) but non-working. There is then no way it's going to download 'em.
- Oletros 11y ago
  You can disable auto retrieve of MMS in the messaging applications
- ocdtrekkie 11y ago
  Most carriers will disable texting wholly to your account on request. That's an option.
adevine 11y ago
Wut? MMS is extremely popular, given that picking the messaging app to share photos and videos will use MMS.
- pmx 11y ago
  It's certainly not popular in the UK. It's just too expensive. It costs ~ £0.50 per mms to send so people will just use email / facebook / whatsapp / whatever.
- Oletros 11y ago
  Perhaps in USA is popular, in Spain and Italy it is not very popular because it is expensive and other messaging solutions are used, like Whatsapp
- marcosdumay 11y ago
  MMS as in telecom operator carried multimedia messages? I thought phones didn't even support this anymore. I've never seen anybody using it, and I wouldn't know how to send one. All the multimedia messages I see people using are transmitted through the Internet.
  - i80and 11y ago
    In my experience in the US, it's still the primary way of sending graphics/pictures via phone.
    - marcosdumay 11y ago
      Yep, didn't point that. My experience is at Brazil.
    - Someone1234 11y ago
      It really boils down to if people pay or not. In the US most people are still on a monthly plan that includes "unlimited texts" (inc. MMS). In many other places a single MMS can cost you between 5c-$1, so people use WhatsApp, Google+, or many other free (or cheaper) alternatives. But MMS is definitely popular in certain regions. It is also very unpopular in regions. If you're in the UK you could very easily disable MMS, but in the US? I wouldn't...
dalbin 11y ago
If the exploit affect Stagefright[1] ("a media playback engine at the native level"), it could affect many messaging apps. [1] http://source.android.com/devices/media.html http://source.android.com/devices/media.html
rayiner 11y ago
It's hugely popular in the U.S., where most "all you can eat" text messaging plans don't charge extra for it.

I guess simplest fix for the user is to disable MMS? I don't think its that popular feature anyway?

by forcer 11y ago

I guess simplest fix for the user is to disable MMS? I don't think its that popular feature anyway?

I'm not sure video MMS are popular, but I send a lot of picture MMS texts. Considering it is included on T-Mobile's Simple Choice and doesn't require the recipient to sign up to some service to receive them, it is pretty convenient. If this issue got bad I might disable it. But it would be unfortunate to have to do so.

pja 11y ago

Can you actually disable MMS on Android phones? You can stop the default messaging app from automatically downloading them on my phpne, but I can’t find a way to completely disable them.

nly 11y ago
Is removing the MMS options under the APN enough to do this?
- shkkmo 11y ago
  That's a good question. Presumably if your phone doesn't have network access for MMS it can't download the message in the first place?
pmx 11y ago
Just set you MMS settings to something that looks valid (so the phone will accept them) but non-working. There is then no way it's going to download 'em.
Oletros 11y ago
You can disable auto retrieve of MMS in the messaging applications
ocdtrekkie 11y ago
Most carriers will disable texting wholly to your account on request. That's an option.

adevine 11y ago

Wut? MMS is extremely popular, given that picking the messaging app to share photos and videos will use MMS.

pmx 11y ago
It's certainly not popular in the UK. It's just too expensive. It costs ~ £0.50 per mms to send so people will just use email / facebook / whatsapp / whatever.
Oletros 11y ago
Perhaps in USA is popular, in Spain and Italy it is not very popular because it is expensive and other messaging solutions are used, like Whatsapp
marcosdumay 11y ago
MMS as in telecom operator carried multimedia messages? I thought phones didn't even support this anymore. I've never seen anybody using it, and I wouldn't know how to send one. All the multimedia messages I see people using are transmitted through the Internet.
- i80and 11y ago
  In my experience in the US, it's still the primary way of sending graphics/pictures via phone.
  - marcosdumay 11y ago
    Yep, didn't point that. My experience is at Brazil.
  - Someone1234 11y ago
    It really boils down to if people pay or not. In the US most people are still on a monthly plan that includes "unlimited texts" (inc. MMS). In many other places a single MMS can cost you between 5c-$1, so people use WhatsApp, Google+, or many other free (or cheaper) alternatives. But MMS is definitely popular in certain regions. It is also very unpopular in regions. If you're in the UK you could very easily disable MMS, but in the US? I wouldn't...

dalbin 11y ago

If the exploit affect Stagefright[1] ("a media playback engine at the native level"), it could affect many messaging apps. [1] http://source.android.com/devices/media.html http://source.android.com/devices/media.html

rayiner 11y ago

It's hugely popular in the U.S., where most "all you can eat" text messaging plans don't charge extra for it.