Message types

Text

Send text messages to customers. These messages can contain emojis.

Text messages are limited to 3,000 characters.

Attachment

Send images, PDF files, or other file types as attachments to customers.

The maximum file size is 100 MB.

List picker

Provide visually organized choices to your customer. Example: A list of items that they can purchase or a list of questions that directs them to the relevant support option.

List pickers contain the following mandatory components:

• Received message
• List
• Reply message

Received message

This is the message that you send to your customers.

Received messages contain the following components:

• Title: Name of the list. The default value is 'Select an option'
• Message text: Description or message. You can include emojis and placeholders to personalize the message
• Image(optional): Image to be displayed
  • Supported formats are .jpg, .png, .gif.
  • You can either upload an image or add a link to an image.
  • You can set the style of the image. The default value is icon.

List

This is the list of items from which customers can select options.

Lists contain the following components:

• Section title: Title of the list. You can include placeholders to personalize the title
• List items: Items in the list. List Items contain the following components:
  • Item Title: Name of the list item. You can include placeholders to personalize the title
  • Image(optional): Image to be displayed.
    • Supported formats are .jpg, .png, .gif.
    • You can either upload an image or add a link to an image.
    • You can set the style of the image. The default value is icon.
  • Item Subtitle (optional): Description of the list item

You can implement the following optional features:

• Multiple item selection: Enable this option so that customers can choose more than one item from the list.
• Add from list attribute: Add list items that are saved in predefined attributes.
• Add new list section: Add multiple list sections to categorize the list items into groups.
• Save selection: Save the customer's input to an attribute.
• Repeat: Choose the number of times to repeat the message if the customer enters an invalid input.
• Fallback: Add a fallback message if the customer enters an invalid input. Example of fallback message: Connect to agent.

Reply message

This is the predefined message that you send to the end user when they choose one or more items from the list.

Reply messages contain the following components:

• Title: Name of the list
• Message text: Description or message. You can include emojis and placeholders to personalize the message
• Image(optional): Image to be displayed
  • Supported formats are .jpg, .png, .gif.
  • You can either upload an image or add a link to an image.
  • You can set the style of the image. The default value is icon.
  • If you add an image to the Received message, but not to the Reply message, the image from the Received message is used in the Reply message.

Time picker

Prompt customers to choose a suitable time slot, for example when scheduling an appointment.

Customers can view time pickers in calendar view, which helps them view any meeting conflicts. If you include information such as addresses, directions, or contact details, customers can view this information in calendar applications, and get directions in map applications.

Time pickers also support push notifications to remind customers about upcoming appointments.

Note: You must obtain opt-in from customers to send them push notifications.

Time pickers contain the following mandatory components:

• Received message
• Time slots
• Reply message

Received message

This is the message that you send to your customers.

Received messages contain the following components:

• Title: Name of the list. The default value is 'Select an option'.
• Message text: Description or message. You can include emojis and placeholders to personalize the message.
• Image(optional): Image to be displayed.
  • Supported formats are .jpg, .png, .gif.
  • You can either upload an image or add a link to an image.
  • You can set the style of the image. The default value is icon.

Time slots

This is the list to which you add available time slots. Customers can select an option from the list.

Time slots contain the following components:

• Title: Title of the list. You can include placeholders to personalize the title
• Time zone: A list of time zones from which the customer can choose an option
• Location details (optional): Name of the location. You can include placeholders to personalize this field.
• Longitude and Latitude (optional): Coordinates of the location. You can include placeholders to personalize these fields.
• Time Slots: Start date, start time, and duration of the time slot. You can set this field either as free form or include predefined values

You can implement the following optional features:

• Add time slots from list attribute: Add list items that are saved in predefined attributes.
• Save selection: Save the customer input to an attribute.
• Repeat: Choose the number of times to repeat the message if the customer enters an invalid input.
• Fallback: Add a fallback message if the customer enters an invalid input. Example of fallback message: Connect to agent.

Reply message

This is the predefined message that you receive when customers choose an option from the available time slots.

Reply messages contain the following components:

• Title: Name of the list
• Text: Description or message. You can include emojis and placeholders to personalize the message.
• Image: Image to be displayed.
  • Supported formats are .jpg, .png, .gif.
  • You can either upload an image or add a link to an image.
  • You can set the style of the image. The default value is icon.
  • If you add an image to the Received message, but not to the Reply message, the image from the Received message is used in the Reply message.

Rich link

Include URLs in images or videos to enable customers to preview products within the Messages app. When customers click the image or video, the link to the product opens. Customers can return to the conversation after viewing the link.

Quick reply

Enable customers to choose from multiple options inline without leaving the ongoing conversation.

You can add 2–5 options. Customers can choose only one of these options.

Form

Send multipage, interactive forms to collect information from end users within a single message. The forms can contain menus and questions with different visual appearances and functionalities. Example: triage flows, CSAT survey, and account creation. End users can complete the form without leaving the Messages app.

Business notifications and binary choice templates

Apple Messages for Business (AMB) allows businesses to send notifications directly to users, even if the user has not initiated the conversation. This feature is currently available for predefined use cases, such as Where Is My Order (WISMO) notifications, which offer real-time updates on shipping and delivery statuses.

Binary choice templates simplify customer interactions by enabling quick responses like "Yes" or "No." These templates currently only support the Connect Using Messages use case. This means that after obtaining user opt-in, businesses can send messages asking whether the user wants to continue the conversation on the Apple channel.

Optional integrations

Apple Pay

Apple Pay provides an easy and secure way for customers to buy products and services through Messages for Business. Customers can pay without leaving the Messages for Business conversation. When a customer clicks the payment request, the payment sheet opens. After the customer authorizes payment, the payment request chat message updates to reflect that the payment is complete. You can include other information such as order confirmation and order tracking.

To create an Apple Pay configuration, you must create an Apple Pay Merchant ID in the Apple Business Register. This ID identifies your business as a merchant able to accept payments. The ID is unique to your Apple Pay service and does not expire. You can use this ID in multiple websites and apps.

For more information, refer to the Apple support documentation (opens in a new tab).

To configure Apple Pay, refer to the Apple Pay configuration section.

Authentication

Messages for Business enables authentication data to pass between the Infobip platform and the customer's device by using an authentication endpoint. After the customer is authorized, the system sends an OAuth response and the customer’s device receives a login form. The customer can enter the login credentials to continue the authorization process.

To create an Authentication configuration, define the following parameters in the Apple Business Register (opens in a new tab): OAuth URL, Token URL, and Client identifier.

To configure Authentication, refer to the Authentication configuration section.

iMessage app

iMessages is a framework that enables you to create apps that contain additional functionality. Apps that are created by using the iMessages framework are called iMessage apps.

Each iMessage app must enable a single, specific task. Example: Choose a seat, view a flight’s progress on a map, or view in-store maps.

You can create the following types of iMessage apps:

• Standalone iMessage app: A standalone app redirects the customer to your iOS app, which resides outside the Messages app.
• iMessage app extension: An iMessage app extension is hosted inside your iOS app. The extension enables customers to interact with your app from within a Messages for Business conversation.

For more information, refer to the Apple support documentation (opens in a new tab).

To configure your iMessage app, refer to the iMessage app configuration section.