Adding threaded Group MMS messaging to Android
<h1>The Issue</h1>

<p>Currently, Android does not support group MMS messaging. All incoming messages show up in individual threads, and outgoing messages are sent as multiple SMS's and show up in the individual threads on recipients' phone. We, users on stock Android or AOSP ROM's, <strong>need</strong> the ability to send a group MMS, and all sent and received group MMS to show up in one group thread (which some manufacturers like Motorola customize in their code). iOS, BB, and Windows Phone <strong>all</strong> support this feature, and it is very frustrating for users included in a group message, as individual and group messages are not separated resulting in a barrage of messages to the user.</p>

<h2>A (Flawed) Workaround</h2>

<p>The Verizon Messages app is currently the only 3rd party app that allows users to send and receive threaded group MMS. As soon as you add more than 1 contact to the message, the app switches to group MMS. At the top of the thread, there is a toggle for switching between Group MMS and individual SMS. Unfortunately, it has an ugly UI, does not have official support for the Galaxy Nexus, and the app does not function correctly on non-Verizon phones.</p>

<h2>Possible Solutions</h2>

<p>If a 3rd party developer can add this functionality, I feel it should be able to be added to the stock Mms.apk. We can either attempt to modify the code ourselves or sit on our butts until an Android dev decides to tackle this.</p>

<p>I recently decompiled both the Vzmessages.apk and the Mms.apk from the \system\app so that I could compare the code between the two and possibly modify the Mms.apk to support group MMS. I am a beginner as far as Android coding goes, so if there's someone out there thinks they can help with examining/modifying the code, any help would be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>I also created an official feature request at <a href="http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=24468" rel="nofollow">http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=24468</a> in the hopes that an Android dev would add this feature to the source code. Please visit and star if you think this feature should be added to the source code.</p>
