I’ve always been a fan of those jailbreak tweaks that add missing features and functions to iOS’ native apps instead of adding new ones, and my earlier posts on improving the Maps app with speedometer & compass and enabling native uploads in Mobile Safari stand testament to that.
It is no hidden truth that the native messages app on iPhone is pretty useless, combined with the rather—annoying popup notifications system that Apple has been using. Although all this is about to change with iOS 5 (which should be just around the corner now), not all devices are going to receive the update and nor will everyone be able to use it until a stable jailbreak is created. For those looking for a more immediate solution without resorting to a third-party app (like BiteSMS, for instance), SMS+ surfaces at a very convenient time.
Developed by FilippoBiga as a commercial package (it is available on BigBoss repo on Cydia for $1.99), this jailbreak tweak attempts at supercharging any jailbroken iPhone’s SMS experience by adding a number of useful, missing features, and it does so successfully.
Combining Quick Reply and Quick Compose, etc, it truly changes the entire experience so much that you won’t be able to use your phone without SMS+ after getting used to it. In a nutshell, it sounds quite similar to the popular BiteSMS app, but the main difference lies in SMS+’s integration with the native Messages application instead of adding a new program.
For incoming texts, the options you get allow you to view the message immediately, reply to it without launching the Messages app (thus without the need to quit the application you’re currently in), close the alert or mark the message as unread for later viewing.
As expected, you also get a Quick Compose box that can be mapped with any activator combination supported by Mobile Substrate, similar to what BiteSMS offers. An extra feature setting SMS+ apart from BiteSMS is the ability to have texts read out loud, allowing better control over your messages no matter what activity you’re engaged in (like driving, biking etc.)
Since SMS+ does not put an extra icon on Springboard, you can find the configuration options for it in your iPhone’s native Settings app, under Extensions. Some other features offered include individual timestamps for each message and the ability to lock the Messages app with a passcode. With the Messages app, you can also mark all texts as read and delete them collectively. Nothing too fancy on the extras department.
Overall, SMS+ is a welcomed addition to an already useful tweak library on Cydia. It targets some of the most needed features and implements them well, and that too without using a new app. Although it costs $1.99, it’s worth it, considering that alternatives like BiteSMS also don’t come free.
While you’re here, check out other related posts like:
- Best Of Cydia: 10 Must-Add Sources for Cydia Apps
- How To Send And Receive SMS From A Computer [iPhone]
- Top 50 iPhone Apps Recommendations
- How To Use A Cydia Lockscreen App To Perform Various Tasks [Jailbreak]
Let us know what you think in your comments, and spread the love using the sharing buttons below.
