Android iMessage app releases new update to sidestep Apple block
UnsplashBeeper Mini is back on the Play Store with updates that help it bypass Apple’s iMessage restrictions. It brings new features and is free to use.
Beeper is an application that reverse engineers the iMessage protocol and encryption to bring Apple’s proprietary messaging app to Android. It’s a safer alternative to Sunbird and Nothing Chats, which are now lost in oblivion. Beeper’s existence was also diminished when Apple put a block in place over the weekend.
However, the messaging app is back, with a new update that sidesteps Apple’s restrictive measures. Beeper is now live in the Play Store and the devs have made it free to use, provided you sign in using an Apple ID.
Beeper Mini is back in action
Beeper MiniThe devs behind Beeper launched the first version of the app— Beeper Mini— last week on Tuesday. It became increasingly popular among users, with more than 100,000 downloads in the first 48 hours.
The company says “Beeper Mini was the fastest growing paid Android application launch in history.”
The success was short-lived, though. Over the weekend, Apple confirmed it had taken steps to shut down the Beeper and said that it would continue to do so.
Beeper appears to have found a way to get around Apple’s restrictions. Beeper Mini is back on the Play Store and it remains end-to-end encrypted. However, phone number registrations are now unavailable. All users are required to sign in using an Apple ID.
The company has also made Beeper Mini free to use, acknowledging that “things have been a bit chaotic, and we’re not comfortable subjecting paying users to this. As soon as things stabilize (we hope they will), we’ll look at turning on subscriptions again.”
Beeper Mini lets you chat with iPhone users and enjoy all the features offered by iMessage, including high-quality images/video, encryption, emojis, typing status, and read receipts. It also lets you escape the green bubble problem.
While Apple faces pressure from companies like Google and Samsung, it appears that iMessage will remain exclusive to Apple devices. The Cupertino company did, however, agree to implement RCS.