Instead of requiring a Mac Mini relay, Beeper Mini claims to have “reverse engineered” iMessage.
Just weeks after Nothing Chats and Sunbird attempted to bring iMessage to Android before burning out over privacy concerns, Beeper Mini is claiming to do the same thing using a method that “reverse engineers” Apple’s messaging service.
Beeper Mini is a successor to the original Beeper app — which is now named Beeper Cloud — and according to the company’s Tuesday blog post it communicates directly with Apple’s iMessage network without requiring a constantly connected Mac Mini or other Apple hardware like Sunbird or Beeper’s original app. By doing this, Beeper Mini does not require an Apple ID during setup, although providing one will then allow for using iMessage across Beeper Mini and Apple hardware like a Mac or iPad.
Otherwise Beeper claims to support many of iMessage’s core features using its method, including end-to-end encryption, typing indicators, threaded replies and group chat support. Beeper however is developed independently of Apple, and is unlikely to consistently have all of the same features that Apple makes available to iMessage users on the iPhone or other Apple devices.
Beeper’s original app, which had a waitlist for access, remains available for now with access to iMessage using a Mac relay while interconnecting to other chat services like WhatsApp. Beeper Mini is available now on the Play Store without a waitlist, but the company is instead charging a $2 a month subscription after a 7-day trial period.
Beeper plans to eventually have the new Mini app fully replace the original, with the intention of including access to other chat apps while building Beeper Mini for desktop computers and iOS. Beeper cofounder Eric Migicovsky told CNET that prior Beeper users can either continue to use the original app or switch to Beeper Mini.
While Beeper Mini sounds on paper like it alleviates some of the major pitfalls of prior iMessage on Android services like the need for a Mac, there are still a number of questions worth asking before jumping into this service. While Beeper Mini claims it does not have access to your messages nor your Apple credentials, you are still putting trust in a third-party to properly manage that sensitive data to set up a link into Apple’s iMessage network. When asked about the recent shutdown of rival Sunbird, Migicovsky said that a “red team security analysis” has been performed on the app, and said that if Apple credentials are used they stay stored on a phone without being uploaded. The credentials are deleted if the Beeper Mini app is also deleted.
Even though the Beeper Mini app does not yet support SMS and RCS texting, the app does require SMS access on your phone in order to import your chat history with iMessage contacts and to register your phone number with iMessage. However if someone tries out Beeper Mini and wants to disconnect from it, Migicovsky said they can either use the app’s settings menu to unlink or use Apple’s deregister tool.
There’s also no guarantees about the longevity of Beeper Mini’s method, which a company blog post explains was reverse-engineered by jjtech, a security researcher currently in high school. When asked about the company’s plans should Apple attempt to cut off this access, Beeper CEO Eric Migicovsky said that he feels the company is helping Apple’s iMessage network with the app.
“We think that this is actually a good thing for iPhone users. Now their chats are encrypted with Android friends. Why would Apple, a company that prides themselves in privacy, want to force unencrypted messaging on their own users?” Migicovsky said.
Regardless of that viewpoint, Apple does put a lot of work into adding new features into its Messages app every year with each new edition of iOS, and Beeper by virtue of being unaffiliated will always be a step behind. Apple did not return CNET’s request for comment.
And even though Apple has long used iMessage as a draw to lure new customers to buy an iPhone, Apple’s recent commitment to adopting the RCS texting standard in 2024 does signal that official work is underway toward improving how texts are sent between the iPhone and Android phones. While Apple has confirmed that green and blue bubbles will remain in play, it’s possible that many of the primary benefits of RCS like typing indicators and high-quality media sharing between iPhone users and Android users are coming without having to resort to a third-party subscription.
While we haven’t yet had the chance to try out Beeper Mini firsthand, the experience largely works according to 9to5Google and The Verge’s impressions. Both found that the text color changed to blue, media sharing worked and most features — even fairly recent ones like message editing — are included. Beeper told 9to5Google that iMessage games will likely never be supported, and other features like live location sharing or message effects may come at a later date.
And then whether or not an iMessage workaround for Android is worth it still comes down to one’s tolerance for how an app jumps their way into Apple’s walled garden. Since Beeper had to “reverse engineer” their way in there, it’s likely still easier just to see if your friend or family member is willing to try out another chat app.
