Apple users hit by iMessage 'Not Delivered' errors get workaround guidance
Some iPhone users are encountering a 'Not Delivered' error when sending messages through Apple's Messages app. The issue can stem from the app juggling three separate messaging protocols—iMessage, RCS, and SMS—which can cause confusion when a message fails to route correctly between iPhone and Android users.
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Messaging failures like this highlight the complexity hidden behind Apple's simple-looking Messages interface, where cross-platform compatibility between iMessage, RCS, and SMS remains imperfect. As Apple expands RCS support to improve Android interoperability, such delivery bugs underscore ongoing friction in unifying communication standards across ecosystems.
- The Messages app uses three protocols: iMessage, RCS, and SMS.
- Cross-platform messaging between iPhone and Android can trigger delivery errors.
- Understanding which protocol is active helps troubleshoot 'Not Delivered' issues.
Apple iPhone 16 — If you're troubleshooting iMessage quirks, running the latest iPhone keeps you on current iOS updates where messaging bugs get patched fastest. The iPhone 16 handles iMessage, RCS and SMS in one Messages app, so blue and green bubbles alike stay in sync.
See Apple iPhone 16 on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: engadget.com — Filipe Espósito, 2026-09-13
Published there as: “How to fix iMessage "Not Delivered" error on iPhones”
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