Text Message Type
When a customer sends a simple text message to a business, the Messaging service receives
and forwards the message to the Messaging Service Provider (MSP) platform by calling the
MSPs platform /message
endpoint. The message type is set to text
.
The MSP platform validates the incoming message as described in Validating a Message.
The /message
endpoint then returns the appropriate response code to Apple Messages for Business. For a
list of possible codes, see the "Response Codes" section in Integrating with Apple Messages for Business.
In addition to the Common Specifications, the following Dictionary keys are also used for sending and receiving messages.
Properties
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
body | string | REQUIRED. The message body |
Attachments
By default Apple Messages for Business supports file attachments up to 100MB between your platform and the user. Apple Messages for Business supports commonly known file types, such as .doc, .xls, .xlsx, .pdf, and .ics.
In addition, the following specialized file types are supported.
Extension | Definition | MIME Type |
---|---|---|
.caf | Voice audio recording, usually sent from end user device | audio/x-caf |
.pkpass | Wallet pass for events, loyalty, or NFC pass | application/vnd.apple.pkpass |
.usdz | Augmented Reality object, common on iOS, which can be sent by an agent or automation to end user | vnd.usdz+zip |
- Voice audio recording: tap the microphone button from your iOS or macOS device to send an audio recording.
- Wallet sample passes can be found as a downloadable companion file on this page: Building Your First Pass or Direct Link.
- Visit our Quick Look Gallery - Augmented Reality - Apple Developer.
Apple Messages for Business doesn't reject messages due to the MIME type. The messaging platform determines which mime type to support and validate for the business. For more information about adding an attachment to a message, see Adding Attachment Metadata to a Message
In addition to the Common Specifications, the following Dictionary keys are also used for sending and receiving messages with attachments.
Properties
Name | Type | Description |
---|---|---|
key | binary | The single-use, 256-bit AES key represented as a hex-encoded string. To decrypt a downloaded attachment file using key , remove the 00 prefix from the hex-encoded string, then decode the string into its original value. Use the decoded key value to decrypt the downloaded attachment file. |
mimeType | string | The MIME type |
name | string | The name of the file |
owner | integer | The owner of the attachment |
signature | binary | The file checksum, represented as a hex-encoded string. |
signature-base64 | byte | The file checksum, represented as a Base64-encoded string.. |
size | integer | The size of the encrypted attachment, in bytes.. |
url | string | A URL assigned by Messages for Business to identify the attachment. |
Sending Text Messages
When a business replies to a user’s message, the MSP platform first sends the message to
the /v1/message
endpoint. Messages for Business then validates the incoming message and returns
the appropriate response code (see the "Response Codes" section in Common Specifications).
Next, the Messaging service delivers the text message to the user’s device.
You can ensure a quick and responsive experience by setting the timeout for the HTTP request to 30 seconds. If Messages for Business doesn’t return a response code within that time, cancel the request and try again later.
Sample Text Message Payload without Attachments
{
"id": "UUID-IDENTIFIER-FOR-MESSAGE",
"sourceId": "BUSINESS-ID",
"destinationId": "OPAQUE-USER-ID",
"v": 1,
"type": "text",
"body": "The message text"
}
Tutorial Exercise
For more help or guidance, see our Tutorial: Exercise: Sending a Text Message.