Beeper Mini, which lets Android users chat with Apple’s iMessage on iPhone, is back with an updated version after facing technical issues.
The app, which had a successful launch, reaching the top 20 of the Play Store charts, encountered problems on Friday, leading to a temporary inability for users to send or receive messages.
Canadian Eric Migicovsky and Brad Murray, Beeper cofounders, announced the release of the updated version on their website today and on Google Play. The update includes new features like chats opening at the last unread message and an improved video player. Notably, Beeper Mini remains free to use amid the ongoing situation with Apple, which put a stop to the app shortly after its launch. The app costs $1.99 USD per month after a 7 day free trial.
I don't want iMessage. I want to be able to securely communicate with iPhone friends through their default chat app. https://t.co/6nSei1FVS8
— Eric Migicovsky (@ericmigi) December 11, 2023
Migicovsky commented on the situation, “Beeper Mini made communication between Android and iPhone users more secure. That is a fact. The changes Apple made were designed to protect the lock-in effect of iMessage, resulting in less security and privacy for iPhone customers.”
This time around, you need to log in to Beeper with your Apple ID and linking your phone number no longer works.
Apple, in a statement to The Verge on the weekend, defended its actions, citing privacy and security concerns. “We took steps to protect our users by blocking techniques that exploit fake credentials to access iMessage. These techniques posed significant risks, including potential metadata exposure and enabling unwanted messages,” the statement read.
“Beeper Mini made communication between Android and iPhone users more secure. That is a fact,” said the Beeper Mini co-founders, defending their app, noting it is end-to-end encrypted while also being open source. The app leverages Apple’s own push notification protocol to work.
The Beeper team has expressed willingness to share their codebase with a third-party security research firm to prove their commitment to security and privacy. They also suggested adding a pager emoji to metadata on messages sent via Beeper Mini, to allow Apple’s Messages App to filter them out.
Despite the challenges, Migicovsky and Murray remain committed to their mission. “At the end of the day, we are committed to building the best chat app on earth. We will continue working on that,” they affirmed.
Grab your popcorn, folks. It’s clear Apple doesn’t want Beeper Mini to exist right now. The game of cat and mouse continues…
