There is no denying that one of the most frequently used applications on any iphone will be the default Messages application which ships as part of iOS. The app itself is very simple, and whilst it is functional and does everything it needs to do, it has been said that Apple must have maybe added a little bit of additional functionality to it over the years.

One of the greatest issues with creating a messaging application is blending the ideal mix of form and function. depending on what type of user you are, you may have hundreds of text conversations in the list at any given time, or you may be like me and delete all SMS conversations after each message. I personally cannot stand having an limitless stream of conversations, so after each message is sent I delete the entire thing. No matter which type of user you are, the application needs to consist of a powerful set of features without being jam-packed with options and compromising on the user experience.

I would call the native Messages application very bare bone, as it is essentially made up of a tabled list, an edit button and a compose option to create a new message. The application has pretty much looked like this way considering that the first iphone in 2007, with only the addition to send image attachments being added. Normally, in these scenarios we look to the jailbreak community to supply some additional features or enhancements, but when it pertains to deal with text and multimedia messages, developers have normally selected replacing the application altogether with a custom-made built piece of software. Applications such as BiteSMS and Messages+ are available on Cydia and consist of powerful and premium features, but they achieve this by absolutely replacing the default application.

So, what if you require a little bit a lot more from your texting experience, but you aren’t quite ready to shell out premium money and radically overhaul the way you use the phone? iOS developer John Coates has you covered with the release of his ‘xMessages’ tweak in Cydia. xMessages exists to supply an enhancement to the native Messages application by allowing timestamps to be added to the conversation, and also the inclusion of thumbnail photographs which are taken from the Contacts application. Both of these settings can be toggled on or off by means of a new settings entry which is created upon installation of xMessages.

xMessages is a very basic tweak, but is certainly one worth having if you require a little bit a lot more from the native Messages application. available complimentary of charge from the BigBoss repository and requires iOS 4 or above to work.

You will undoubtedly need to jailbreak your iphone to install this tweak. For jailbreaking iphone 4S and iPad 2, you can simply follow our step by step guide posted here to jailbreak iOS 5.0.1 using Absinthe on Windows or Mac. For those of you with iphone 4, 3GS, iPad 1, and iPod touches can use Redsn0w or Sn0wbreeze to untether jailbreak on iOS 5.0.1.

Be sure to check out our iphone apps Gallery and iPad apps Gallery to explore a lot more apps for your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

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