Makers of the Nothing Phone 2 have just unveiled a new feature which allows their users to send iMessages to iPhones using the “Nothing Chats” app.
The move, that marks the first instance of an Android phone manufacturer integrating iMessage capabilities into their device, is powered by the Sunbird messaging platform.
The company announced that this feature will roll out to users in the U.S., Canada, the EU, and select European countries starting from Friday, November 17th.
Nothing explained its motivation, stating that it aims to bridge the gap created by messaging service divisions among phone users. However, users must rely on Sunbird for this integration.
According to Nothing’s FAQ, Sunbird’s architecture ensures message delivery without storing any data during transmission.
While tech reviewer Marques Brownlee has confirmed the integration, concerns linger regarding granting access to iCloud accounts, prompting advisories to scrutinize Sunbird’s privacy policy skeptically.
Access to Sunbird typically requires a waitlist; however, for a limited time, having a Nothing Phone 2 grants immediate access.
Android Authority reached out to Nothing about the security concerns its Nothing Chats app could pose. A spokesperson for the company issued the following statement:
Regarding security, Sunbird doesn’t store any message data/metadata or usernames/passwords, besides the email used to create the Sunbird login. Sunbird’s proprietary technology allows for the passthrough and deletion of data.Whether you choose to sign in with an existing Apple ID or create a new one, your Apple ID data is immediately destroyed during the tokenization process upon logging in so at no point is it vulnerable to bad actors. Sunbird’s server datastreams are fully encrypted, and even if there were to be any intrusion on the datastream, Apple ID data would not be able to be accessed as they’re not stored anywhere at any point and are automatically deleted as part of the tokenization process.
Check out the following video in which Nothing CEO Carl Pei sits down with Inverse Senior Editor James Pero to discuss the green bubble/blue bubble divide in the US as well as the launch of Nothing Chats.
