Free SMS Global.AQ gets update – Hints at Pro option [Update]
| By Alok Saboo on August 17th, 2009 |
While we were talking about how to send unlimited free text messages (SMS) across the world using Global.AQ, the developers were busy pushing out a major update. After having tested the new version 1.0.2 for a while, we review the latest version here. You can try the latest version here (iTunes link).
While the underlying architecture remains the same, there are some nice features worth noting. The biggest change is the price itself. While the previous version was FREE, the latest version comes at a pricey tag of $7.99. However, the delivery of the messages is still free, which means the app will quickly payback this cost by sending FREE text messages. You could use Global.AQ to send unlimited free SMS to almost all over the world. Some of the counties with successful deliveries include (partial list)
Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Cyprus, Congo, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Hong Kong, China, India, Hungary, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kuwait, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, USA, UK, Venezuela.
The biggest change is the ability to receive SMS on your Global.AQ number. Each subscriber is assigned a unique Antarctica number +882347XXX XXX. Messages sent to this number will be forwarded to your email address associated with your account. In the next version, this will be pushed on your phone.
You can also send long messages, which will automatically be split into multiple messages. It also uses the copy and paste feature of the latest iPhone OS. You can also directly add name and number into your message from your address book (second screenshot). Another useful feature is the ability to send message to any person in your outbox without typing the number. When you click on any message in your outbox (screenshot 4), you are presented with a screen to send message to the same person again, no need to type the number. In addition, there are some cosmetic changes, making the app more visually appealing. Some screen shots are attached.
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
Few points to keep in mind, before you jump the gun. This version is a lot less stable than the previous release. It has crashed a more than a few times on me. I also checked at the app store and looks like others are also facing the problem. I am sure, the developers are working to get this in order. The app still does not support Group messaging. Also, there are no options to forward a message to another person. Anyways, have a look at this “must have” app on your Apple devices to send unlimited text messages (SMS) all over the world.
The next release, will support push messaging and full fledged incoming support. More importantly, the FREE tag will go away. It will cost (the company is promising it will be a minor cost) to send messages. I am hoping that the company lives up to its promises to keeping the prices low. Also, I would recommend them to compare their prices with other alternatives available in the market and not necessarily compare themselves with the cell phone companies (who anyways charge a moon for those 160 characters).
Related posts:
- SMS Global.AQ – Send unlimited Free SMS all over the World [mVoIP]
- Send Free Text Messages (SMS) to any Mobile in the World [Tools]
- Send text messages (SMS) to all your friends for FREE!!! [Tips]
- VoiceCentral Black Swan out of beta – Best app to access Google Voice on your iPhone for FREE [Updates]
- Easiest way to Enable Google Voice Push Notification on iPhone – Revised [Tutorials]
Wait a minute.I paid for app which allow me to send FREE SMSes-that was the description of this app when I was buing it.Now they ask me to pay?This is rubbish.If I were know that I will have to pay for smses I would never buy this app.THIEFS!
When I was buying this app,description says that I will be able to send free smses.Now they chnged deskription and ask me to pay!If I would know that I will have to pay extra cash for smses I would never buy this app.Cheaters and thiefs.I report it to Apple.
I appreciate your frustration, but as I have mentioned here, the developer indicated early on that they would soon be moving to the paid model. Also, once you updated the app, you would have seen that the SMS are not free in the app. You could still email the developer and ask for a refund…
They ask me to pay 5,49€ for 100 SMSes. For 5,49€ I can send almost 150 sms through my operator in Poland.So,I repeat it again..I would never buy it because it's not worth it at all and as I said before-I bought this app because it was ofering totaly free smses.
Thanks Andreas for your comment!!
You are absolutely right in pointing out that Global.AQ may not be for everyone, but for a vast majority of users, it is a good solution.
That said, I have a few suggestions to make it more palatable for consumers to pay for the service. May be, I will detail it out in a subsequent post…
- The App includes 500 credit units for 5.99€. So that's 0.01198€ per credit. I have not seen anyone beating this.
- Can you send the 150 sms from your iPod touch? I don't think so!
- Can you send SMS from your operator in Poland to places like Ethiopia for 0.04499€? I don't think so!
In Germany its at least 0.10€, in Switzerland its 0.13€, in USA its 1.00USD$ or doesn't even work!
- Can you send SMS for free between Global.AQ users?
Also cheap SMS packages offered by the operators also often come with a limit. Like only for people under 25 years or the like.
So if you compare, don't compare Apple's with Tomatoes.
Global.AQ might not be for everyone but a large part of users can save. If you can't, don't buy it. Or just use the lite version.
There was a time the software was free and the sms was free. Return for the cost was by the advertisement banner.
Then it was changed to a paying model. At that time it was never saying the SMS was free but it was for a while. So you complain because you got something for free where it didn't say so?
500 SMS at 0.012 euro is a bargain, I'm sorry. If you have spent that, you got excellent service for it.
As far as poland goes, two operators there charge an arm and a leg to terminate into their network. The current price of 1 credit per SMS already makes us loose money on those. So we probably split the price for poland by operator soon which makes the 2 nice ones a lot cheaper and the nasty ones more expensive.
And by the way, Global.AQ Pro 2.0 and Global.AQ lite 2.0 (which is free again for a limited amount of sms per day) is even translated to polish. And if the counterpart uses Globa.AQ its free both ways.
We're doing the best we can to bring down the price further.
I bought it becaus of free smses that I can send from Poland to POLAND.I dont care about international smses-I dont need them.So,I feel now like I have been cheated.I dont care how much chep I can send sms to us or etiopia-Im only interested in Poland and that was the reason I paid for this app,you know.
How about that:u buy microsoft office because you need Word.Suddenly microsoft change licence and you have to make monthly payment for using Word but microsoft will try to calm you down because you have still Excel and Power Point.Maybe now u will see my point.I DONT USE AND I DONT NEED INTERNATIONAL SMSES!And I would never buy this app Because it's useless now for me.
So,in LITE (free) version user can send 7sms/day totally free,right?Thats 210sms per month,for free.It would be fair when in PRO version there would be NOT 500credit included but,let say,100 credits but every month.What'd you say?
There was a time the software was free and the sms was free. Return for the cost was by the advertisement banner.
Then it was changed to a paying model. At that time it was never saying the SMS was free but it was for a while. So you complain because you got something for free where it didn't say so?
500 SMS at 0.012 euro is a bargain, I'm sorry. If you have spent that, you got excellent service for it.
As far as poland goes, two operators there charge an arm and a leg to terminate into their network. The current price of 1 credit per SMS already makes us loose money on those. So we probably split the price for poland by operator soon which makes the 2 nice ones a lot cheaper and the nasty ones more expensive.
And by the way, Global.AQ Pro 2.0 and Global.AQ lite 2.0 (which is free again for a limited amount of sms per day) is even translated to polish. And if the counterpart uses Globa.AQ its free both ways.
We're doing the best we can to bring down the price further.
I bought it becaus of free smses that I can send from Poland to POLAND.I dont care about international smses-I dont need them.So,I feel now like I have been cheated.I dont care how much chep I can send sms to us or etiopia-Im only interested in Poland and that was the reason I paid for this app,you know.
How about that:u buy microsoft office because you need Word.Suddenly microsoft change licence and you have to make monthly payment for using Word but microsoft will try to calm you down because you have still Excel and Power Point.Maybe now u will see my point.I DONT USE AND I DONT NEED INTERNATIONAL SMSES!And I would never buy this app Because it's useless now for me.
So,in LITE (free) version user can send 7sms/day totally free,right?Thats 210sms per month,for free.It would be fair when in PRO version there would be NOT 500credit included but,let say,100 credits but every month.What'd you say?
Hello, guyz here's a new website that
has free unlimited text to all network it's true http://www.txtmate.com/
Note the massive price cut of almost 50%. see http://www.global.aq
Hi I am completely new at truvoipbuzz.com so unsure if i should write-up this here in this
Everybody seem very useful here at truvoipbuzz.com
.
I like playing video games online but my institution has blocked me from the best site, can someone suggest a website which includes a good number of flash games ??