MMS is just a SMS with a hash or link which combined with a HTTP proxy is then automatically loaded. It is a way to remotely load a picture, on a remote device. Not sure I actually want that feature. I always disable it on my SIM card.
Not trying to downplay, other people might prefer it. VoLTE provides a security and usability benefit over 2G, as does not using 2G/3G as backward compatibility.
The killer feature I use MMS for is group texts. In an ideal world I could host my own matrix channel on my server to use, but I know that I would have exactly one user on it. I refuse to use WhatsApp/Facebook messenger/Viber/your favorite chat program, and MMS is the least common denominator.
- It's the least common dominator to chat with anyone with a Phone (if you have a smartphone, you can go MMS group chat).
- I am not giving another company personal data (Facebook, Google, etc.)
Ideally, I would prefer to run my own server for a chat program (i.e. Matrix, Nextcloud Chat), then I know where the traffic is coming to and from, and I have a lot of confidence that personal data isn't being leaked.
My second option would probably be Signal, as they seem to do to great lengths to avoid collecting data on you. However, trying to convince family/friends to use either is an uphill battle (a great deal of my family goes "why don't you just get an iPhone?"). So the pragmatist in me just uses MMS for group chat.
Not trying to downplay, other people might prefer it. VoLTE provides a security and usability benefit over 2G, as does not using 2G/3G as backward compatibility.
Has anyone in Europe used PinePhone?