Why Jailbreak: QuickReply

I use the Messages app on the iPhone much more than just once a day, and I must admit that it is very well made. For a long time, I thought it couldn't be improved, since it was already simple, sleek and easy to use. However recently i've discovered that it does have one major setback. Whenever you receive a text message, you have to quit whatever it is you're doing in order to reply. You have to quit your game, or end the song that Shazam is listening to, or put your web surfing on hold. And frankly, it's a bit of a hassle. That's where QuickReply comes in. QuickReply is an application from the Cydia Store that allows you to reply to a text message instantly without quitting the application you are currently in. After receiving a message, the regular pop-up box will appear, but with a new button that says “Reply.” After hitting this new button, a pop-up screen takes over; it has a keyboard, the received message, and an opaque background so that you can see your currently opened application in the background. You can type in your reply, hit send, and then close the window to instantly continue what you were doing before. In addition to this, QuickReply also allows you to reply straight from your lock screen by double-clicking the message. This is an obvious feature and it has made me realize how frustrating it used to be whenever I had to reply to a message before.

But like most things, QuickReply isn't perfect. While it is quicker than closing your current application and opening the Messages app, it is a little bit glitchy and the keyboard lags quite a bit. Another minor downside is that the messages entered via the pop-up keyboard don't show up in the conversation within the Messages app, but that's not too big of a deal unless you are the sentimental type.

For $2.99, QuickReply brings a somewhat obvious feature to the iPhone that allows for a less-frustrating messaging experience. Although the app is a bit sluggish, it is a major improvement as compared to the previous method for replying to a message.

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