Using the Cordova API: SMS-Receive

The sms-receive plugin can be used to receive incoming SMS messages (text messages) on Android devices. It does not intercept them - the messages still go to the Messages app.

The messages will be received whenever your app is running, whether it is in the foreground or not.

Here is how to do it:

1. Add the plugin to PhoneGap configxml in Project Properties, by adding this line:

<plugin name="cordova-plugin-sms-receive" source="npm" />

2. Start watching for incoming text messages by executing this code:

BASIC

Function Button1_onclick()
  SMSReceive.startWatch(startSuccess, startFail)
End Function

Function startSuccess()
  Textarea1.value = "watching started."
End Function

Function startFail()
  Textarea1.value = "watching start failed.."
End Function

JavaScript

Button1.onclick = function() {
  SMSReceive.startWatch(startSuccess, startFail);
};

function startSuccess() {
  Textarea1.value = "watching started.";
}

function startFail() {
  Textarea1.value = "watching start failed..";
}

3. To stop watching, use the following code. It saves memory and battery life to turn this off.

BASIC

Function Button2_onclick()
  SMSReceive.stopWatch(stopSuccess, stopFail)
End Function

Function stopSuccess()
  Textarea1.value = "watching stopped."
End Function

Function stopFail()
  Textarea1.value = "watching stop failed."
End Function

JavaScript

Button2.onclick = function() {
  SMSReceive.stopWatch(stopSuccess, stopFail);
};

function stopSuccess() {
  Textarea1.value = "watching stopped.";
}

function stopFail() {
  Textarea1.value = "watching stop failed.";
}

4. When a text message comes in, an onSMSArrive event is sent to your app. Here is how to handle it:

BASIC

document.addEventListener("onSMSArrive", onSMSArrive)

Function onSMSArrive(e)
  IncomingSMS = e.data;
  
  Textarea1.value = "SMS Received\r"
  Textarea1.value += "sms.address:" + IncomingSMS.address + "\r"
  Textarea1.value += "sms.body:" + IncomingSMS.body + "\r"
  Textarea1.value += JSON.stringify(IncomingSMS)
End Function

JavaScript

document.addEventListener("onSMSArrive" , onSMSArrive);

function onSMSArrive(e) {
  IncomingSMS = e.data;

  Textarea1.value = "SMS Received\\r";
  Textarea1.value += "sms.address:" + IncomingSMS.address + "\\r";
  Textarea1.value += "sms.body:" + IncomingSMS.body + "\\r";
  Textarea1.value += JSON.stringify(IncomingSMS);
}

More documentation on the plugin can be found here: https://github.com/andreszs/cordova-plugin-sms-receive