If you use an iPhone You may have noticed that sometimes when you send a text message, the text is in blue and other times it’s in green.

Apple is introduced iMessage as a tool for sending text messages. iMessage uses the Internet, or your data service, to send text messages rather than using text services provided by your cellular provider. This way, texts do not cost you when you send them. But iMessage also allows people using Macs to be able to see text messages coming in by using your iCloud account.

If you tie your iCloud account to your phone messaging application, a text message sent from your phone will also go to iOS devices and Macs that are logged in to iMessage. Apple indicates an iMessage connection between two devices by showing those text messages and blue. So if you’re using I message and the person you’re sending two is also using I message them those text show up as blue text.

The other benefit iMessage provides is that it  is two-way conversational. Once you send a message, below that message you’ll see the word delivered. That says that the message you sent made it to the other person’s device. When the other person looks at the iMessage Below the message will change from delivered to read. This way I text conversation between two people in iMessage allows you to track when the messages received and when the person looks at it.

But what if a person doesn’t use I message or you’re sending a text message to someone on a different style phone. That’s why the text you sent sometimes look green. If the text messages being sent using your cellular provider’s text messaging system, the message shows up as green.

The extra benefits of being able to tell when a message is delivered or read makes iMessage a great tool.  Unfortunately both you and the recipient must be using a Mac or an iOS device for this to work.