Question about three dots during texting

[jencherub]

Does anyone know what it means if the three dots appear as if the other person is typing, but no message appears?

 

[Just_Me_D]

It simply means they are typing a reply, but not necessarily to you.

 

[Fausty82]

It simply means they are typing a reply, but not necessarily to you.

Or that they clicked in the reply box and never finished or deleted what they typed...

 

[dublex]

It simply means they are typing a reply, but not necessarily to you.

Wait... Really? That's what it means? Is there a source for this information?

 

[Massie]

Yeah, I've always thought it only active when it was a message you were involved with, not just ANY time someone was typing.

 

[fatfury]

Yeah, I've always thought it only active when it was a message you were involved with, not just ANY time someone was typing.

I really think the three dots only apply to the conversation it's in. Not just in general.

 

[anon(5140585)]

It is my understanding that the other person is physical typing a reply. I know my wife will take quite awhile to type her whole message and seems like forever until it actually gets to my phone. When this does happen, the message comes through as green (SMS) rather than iMessage. iMessage seems to be down a lot.

 

[Just_Me_D]

Wait... Really? That's what it means? Is there a source for this information?

I don't know of any. Just my experience. On several occasions while texting my wife and kids, I'd see the 3 dots that are associated with a reply, and after a short time, the dots disappear without me receiving a reply. Then when I tell them that I didn't get their reply, they'd say that they were texting someone else.

Yeah, I've always thought it only active when it was a message you were involved with, not just ANY time someone was typing.

So did I until I began experiencing the things I mentioned above.

I really think the three dots only apply to the conversation it's in. Not just in general.

I thought so too until I experienced the things I mentioned above.

It is my understanding that the other person is physical typing a reply. I know my wife will take quite awhile to type her whole message and seems like forever until it actually gets to my phone. When this does happen, the message comes through as green (SMS) rather than iMessage. iMessage seems to be down a lot.

You are correct. It does indeed mean that the recipient is in the process of replying, but my aforementioned experiences did happen and still happens on occasion.

 

[TurboTiger]

I see those dots then they disappear without receiving a reply immediately

Who knows.
Good Luck

 

[kataran]

This is interesting cause I spend a lot of time looking at these dots and nothing happens

Now I can free up that time to maybe come up with a cure for cancer or some other global changing event

...


Sent from my iPhone 5

 

[pr1nce]

That's interesting. I always thought the dots meant the person was typing a reply.

 

[anon(2254645)]

That's interesting. I always thought the dots meant the person was typing a reply.

Same here.

 

[Jaguarr40]

As well as most the only time I have seen the 3 dots even If I am typing a message, the person on the other end can be at the same time and I will see the 3 dots. They will go away once that person I am sending a message to sends theirs to me. On the other hand once I type a message and wait I can see that the recipient is typing a reply to me by the 3 dots.

 

[kal-el of the house of el]

The 3 dots are only for when that person is sending a reply to you specifically. If you are getting dots when they are typing to someone else, that's a system glitch. Hey, at least doing tech support for a major carrier comes in handy when talking to you guys here!

 

[Leslie Cook]

Kal-el are you sure? I know you're said you do tech support.....but, if what you're saying is true then I must have an awful lot of system glitches. For example....it seems to happen a lot with my sister. I'll see the 3 dots there forever and then they go away with no response. But, if I'm talking to anyone else I see the dots and get a text right afterwards. You're positive it's only when they're typing to you and not someone else?

 

[anon(5140585)]

I am constantly seeing 3 dots and never receive a message, but then again, i am AT&T an their service isn't the best, especially in the last 3 months.


Sent from my iPhone using iMore Forums

 

[Jaguarr40]

Most of the time they are writing back to you or you would not see them writing to someone else in your window and I have also seen the typing and it goes away without a message. Ii seems like the carrier or the finish of a message with a slight delay.

 

[John Yester]

It's for typing, but.....I think sometimes it gets crossed from other messages being typed to other people.... Though you won't get anything, the other person does....

 

[dmaverick50]

This is an hilariously awkward thread. The dots just mean the other person is typing. If you don't receive a reply then they decided they didn't want to send the message. Personally I hate the feature but there must be some conceivable benefit since it was consciously included.

 

[AgentHeracles]

It was included in-case the person that sees the 3 dots might wait on sending their message and see if they need to change it or add to it.