Beeper's efforts to bring iMessage to Android officially end
Beeper has removed its Beeper Mini app from the Google Play Store and shifted the iMessage bridge to the "Labs" section of its cloud version, the company has announced in an X post. After Apple blocked Beeper's iMessage for Android app, Beeper introduced a new fix, utilizing users' own Macs (instead of Beeper's fleet of Mac servers) to enable Beeper Cloud and connect to iMessage. In an effort to keep the service working, this development cost Beeper a whopping $750,000.
Apple temporarily banned Macs used as bridges
The New York Times has reported that several Beeper customers have lost access on their Macs. Upon contacting Apple's customer support, they were told that the company had revoked their Mac's access to iMessage due to "irregular activity."
Subsequently, some users have regained access
Following the NYT report, some Beeper users regained access through Mac, while several on Reddit mentioned that they could access iMessage on their Macs again after being blocked. Surprisingly, none of these users had received any prior warning from Apple about losing the service previously. A Beeper customer who lost access to iMessage on his Mac commented on Apple's actions, stating, "Legally, they're probably in the clear because of their terms of service, but it's still kind of crappy."
Beeper's focus shifts to 'universal multi-network chat app'
Beeper has announced that it won't provide assistance or troubleshooting for current users facing issues with the iMessage bridge. The company is now entirely focused on its mission "beyond iMessage" and building "a universal, multi-network chat app." Although new users won't be able to access Apple's messaging service through Beeper Cloud, existing users might still be able to use it with the help of the workaround, which involves self-hosting Beeper's app.
