One of the key features of both OS X Yosemite and iOS 8 is what Apple calls Handoff. It provides a seamless transition between using your iOS device and using your Mac. One of the coolest features of Handoff is the ability to see and respond to text messages sent to your phone, using your Mac, even with your green bubble friends! Here's how the feature works and why it's important.
The feature is dependent on Bluetooth 4.0, or Bluetooth Low Energy. You'll need one of the following Macs in order for it to work:
- MacBook Air (2012 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (2012 or newer)
- iMac (2012 or newer)
- Mac mini (2012 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Late 2013)
You'll also need an iPhone with iOS 8.1 or later installed.
How to enable SMS/MMS Handoff on OS X Yosemite
- Click on the menu.
- Select System Preferences.
- Click on General
- Make sure the option for Allow Handoff is checked.
Short Messaging Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) are both the instant message lingua francas of mobile devices. Almost all mobile phones support the ability to send and receive texts, images and other content via these methods.
In recent years Apple's employed iMessage to send messaging content between iOS and Mac users. This protocol works seamlessly with SMS and MMS. But those friends and colleagues of ours who don't use Apple devices still work with the other protocols — those are, as Craig Federighi called them in the WWDC 2014 keynote, our "green bubble friends" (the Messages app distiguishes between them using blue for iMessage and green for SMS and MMS.
iMessage travels freely between Macs and iOS devices using the same Apple ID, but SMS and MMS have been heretofore restricted specifically to mobile devices. With iOS 8 and Yosemite, that changes. Now SMS and MMS messages will show up on your Mac.
That's all there is to it. Have any questions? Let me know.
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