SMS utility on Android 4.4 KitKat

Question

Before KitKat was released I had developed an app which uses pre-defined short codes to perform transactions over SMS. For example, sending

"<PIN> BAL <phone number>"

would get you a reply with your credit balance. The user doesn't see the short codes, but instead picks the required function from a list, inserts his PIN and presses send. The message is formulated and sent by the app. The main point here is that his outgoing SMS (which contains his PIN) is not saved anywhere.

Since KitKat however, as long as my app is not the default SMS app, the outgoing SMS is saved in the default Messaging app. I can't ask users to set my app as default either, because it cant be used for normal messaging.

A solution or a workaround would be a lifesaver.

Answer 1

The main point here is that his outgoing SMS (which contains his PIN) is not saved anywhere. A solution or a workaround would be a lifesaver.

Forget it - there's no clean one. See docs:

Also, the system now allows only the default app to write message data to the provider, although other apps can read at any time. Apps that are not the user's default can still send messages — the system handles writing those messages to the provider on behalf of the app, so that users can see them in the default app.