You can now use iMessage on Android without Apple ID
Beeper has unveiled Beeper Mini, a unique Android app that allows users to send iMessages straight from their Android devices to Apple servers without needing an Apple ID. Unlike other messaging apps attempting to integrate iMessage with Android, Beeper Mini doesn't depend on Mac mini relays or Apple ID logins. According to The Verge, Beeper co-founder Eric Migicovsky received the prototype from a 16-year-old developer who claimed to have reverse-engineered iMessage.
How Beeper Mini works
Users can simply download the app and register with their phone number. The app then scans all messages on the device, identifies those from iMessage users, and converts them to blue bubbles. This way, Beeper Mini can send iMessages directly to iPhone users, bypassing the green bubble and blue bubble issue that has existed since iMessage's launch in 2011. Although Apple plans to adopt RCS messaging in 2024, Android users seeking blue bubbles might still prefer Beeper Mini.
Security features of Beeper Mini
Migicovsky asserts that Beeper Mini is a secure third-party iMessage solution as it only requires a phone number and sends messages directly from Android devices to Apple servers. The app doesn't access users' Apple ID, password, contacts, or sent messages. Additionally, Beeper Mini's iMessage code will be open source for public review. CTO Brad Murray is testing the security by attempting to hack the system as an attacker and will publish his findings.
Is it legal?
Migicovsky believes that Beeper is legally sound since no Apple code is used in Beeper Mini. He points to a loophole in copyright law for reverse engineering and notes that since 2021, Beeper has provided a third-party iMessage solution to Android users without any action from Apple. However, considering Apple's protectiveness of iMessage as an iPhone lock-in factor, it remains uncertain if the company will block Beeper Mini or similar services in the future.
Availability and pricing
Android users keen on using iMessage can download Beeper Mini from the Play Store and enjoy a free 7-day trial. After the trial period, the service will cost $1.99 (Rs. 190 in India) per month. This development follows Carl Pei's Nothing withdrawing its Nothing Chats app from the market due to security concerns. The app also claimed to offer iMessage on Android but was riddled with privacy issues.
