Messaging app crashing on specific contact while opening multimedia text

[Dokuji]

I will start by saying that I am a general fan of Sony electronics and gaming, and am extremely disappointed with my xa1 ultra. I bought it brand new yesterday. Will be returning it tomorrow....

As for the specific issue of this thread, my stock messenger app has decided to crash when a specific contact of mine, who also happens to be my most important contact, my fiance, sends me a multimedia message. I cannot say for a certainty it would only be just this one, as I haven't used the phone long enough to start more than 4 total text threads... However the other contacts are able to send photos to me with no issue. 

Here is what is happening exactly:

I receive the notification of a new text, I can open the messenger app, I can click on her profile and open the contact page, and I can even click the thumbnail preview and open the larger preview of the image itself, but I cannot open the actual text/conversation thread. The minute I click on it, it crashes the messenger app and says "messaging has stopped" with a prompt link to restart app.. If I do this, and again attempt to open the message, it crashes again only this time the error says "messaging keeps stopping"  and prompts me to close app. Basically the equivalent of saying to me "oh well you're SOL buddy" very helpful..... 

This happens no matter how I try to access the message thread, whether it be through messaging itself, through the push notifications, or through contacts, etc. Etc. 

I have tried clearing caches and permissions, I have tried launching the OS in safe mode, I have tried force stopping, disabling, deleting permissions for the app and other apps linked with it, reboots, hard reboots, etc etc etc and finally I performed a factory reset and STILL this continues to happen with a fresh factory RESET. everything is up to date and nothing extra has been Installed... 

This is not my only issue with this phone. Or rather, the software itself. I like the phone, the display, the physical properties, but either Android 7.0 is a hot mess, or the Sony custom overlay is to blame... But I suspect a healthy dose of both.... This phone and nougat have both been out for long enough to where this many user interface and app errors are inexcusable. I will be swiftly getting a refund for this phone and staying far away from Sony Mobile for quite some time. 

I was not able to find this specific issue so I wanted to post it so hopefully it can be addressed for the next sorry SOB who comes across it... Or at least put it out there as a known issue... 

[melisaaallen200]

I'm having the same issue. It seems to be with iPhone contacts. I've tried the resolutions found regarding a Facebook usage causing it, no help. I can start a new message from scratch and send to the correct but cannot open the existing thread. I can also use the quick reply, but again, cannot see the message received.

Note.... I've had the phone for a while and this is a new issue in the last two months. 

[Nigo1986]

SO IS SONY NOT GOING TO TELL US HOW TO FIX THIS ISSUE

[Jwizzy]

I am having the exact same issue!!!! I bought the phone the day it came out. By the next day it was having this issue. It is most definitely not just related to an iPhone mms as stated by an earlier reply my father and brother both use Samsung S6 who send me mms messages and I can't open them at all. The messager app just crashes. This is very annoying SONY FIX IT NOW!

[Cloudsurferfilm]

Mine is doing the same exact thing I just bought this phone yesterday.  Still haven't found a cure.  Sony fix this problem

[8997]

I switched to the android messages app.  Now I can see all my messages.  Dowload android messages from the play store if you don't already have it. Go to the settings menu, apps, messages(not messaging).  scroll down to sms.  Change it to "yes".  That's it.  You can disable the "messaging" app that came with the phone.

[Silvss5769]

the same thing is happening to me!! I tried sending myself an image from my sisters Samsung S8 and now it crashes my messaging app completely!   

[GM2010]

I just purchased this phone and i am getting the same problem with 2 of my contacts. Has anyone received and answer from Sony? 

[Uliwooly]

@GM2010

Do elaborate on your issue. 

[Latinaheat114]

Dang I'm getting the exact same thing it's bad to where my fiancée thinks I'm ignoring him. That's messed up you would think that so many of us with the exact issue they would make some attempt to fix the issue. Thanks for this I thought it was me doing something wrong. I better go get my money back before it's to late