Well, here’s one iOS 5 issue that came up recently on Apple’s discussion forums: You switch from an iPhone with iMessage enabled to another smartphone that doesn’t have any idea on what iMessage is, for example an Android or Windows smartphone. Your friends using an iPhone will continue sending iMessages to your non-existent iPhone, because your phone number is still associated with your old iOS device.
A similar issue might show up if you sell or lose your iPhone. The new owner might continue to get your iMessages.
There’s a possible solution to this, as mentioned on the forums:
- Go to: https://supportprofile.apple.com/MySupportProfile.do
- Log in if not already logged in.
- Click on “edit products”
- Click on the “x” to the right of the product.
- Click “unregister”
In case the click on ‘x’ doesn’t show the “unregister” button, you can just select the device you want to get rid of and remove it from within details page of said device.
Hope this helps in case you’re having issues with a lost or sold iPhone that’s still getting your iMessages.