Blue bubble mania continues with the release of a new app that lets you use iMessage on Android. However, this app differs from the rest in that it allows you to use your actual phone number, instead of an email address, so you can really fool your iPhone friends into thinking you're part of the same ecosystem.
What is Beeper Mini and how does it work?
Beeper Mini is a new app from the folks at Beeper, the unified chatting app with a mac app companion, which lets you use iMessage, Telegram, Discord, RCS, and others on your Android device. Beeper Mini, however, allows Android users to send and receive only iMessages without having to provide their Apple ID credentials. The app is still in its early stages, but it already supports many of the most important iMessage features, such as group chats, high-resolution media sharing, emoji reactions, voice messages, and more.
Setting up Beeper Mini is simple. Just download the app from Google Play, tap on “continue with Google” to sign in with Google, grant the app permission to access your SMS conversations and contacts list, and then you’re on your way. Once you've finished setting things up, the app will seamlessly pull in your previous SMS conversations with iPhone users and upgrade them to iMessage.
These conversations will be arranged in a list like most chat apps, though you can pin certain conversations to the top. From the home screen, you can tap on the "New chat" button, swipe right to mark a conversation as unread, or swipe left on a conversation to mute it. From the top bar, you can change your display name and profile picture or access the app’s settings, where you can modify the theme, toggle read receipts, mute sounds, toggle push notifications, or connect your Apple ID — a step that is not completely necessary.
Is this secure?
After the Nothing Chats and Sunbird debacle, you would be one hundred percent justified in questioning the security of this app, and so Beeper has taken several steps to gain the trust of its security-conscious users. The Beeper Mini team published a technical deep dive into how the app works, along with other more technical documents and source code shared by the developer.
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It is the opinion of those that know more about code than yours truly, such as Journalist and Android expert Mishaal Rahman, that the app is the first truly successful reverse-engineering of iMessage that doesn't relay messages from a Mac Mini server farm or that requires you to sign in to your iCloud account.
In fact, the Beeper Mini team is so sure that their app is air-tight, that they’ve even gone as far as extending an invitation to security researchers to verify all of their claims. Boldly claiming the below and stating that they're different from those "other apps".
Unlike every other attempt to build an Android app like this (including our first generation Beeper app), Beeper Mini does not use a Mac relay server in a data center. Instead, the app connects directly to Apple servers to send and receive end-to-end encrypted messages. Encryption keys never leave your device. No Apple ID is required. Beeper does not have access to your Apple account.
Beeper Mini System Architecture | Source - blog.beeper.com
Is it free?
Beeper Mini will be free for the first seven days. After the 7-day free trial expires, the app will cost $1.99 per month. Beeper says the monthly cost of the app is so that the team can continue to improve the app by adding new features, and of course, to earn money since the app will be ad-free. This is a small price to pay if having the ability to use iMessage on Android is important to you.
What's going to happen to the original Beeper app and my RCS messages?
Beeper Mini can work alongside the Messages app on your Android device (or whichever your default SMS/RCS app is). Beeper Mini will only handle iMessage conversations and anything that is not iMessage will continue to come in through your default SMS/RCS app. This means that you might need to use two apps — one for RCS and one for iMessage — on your Android device for now.
If this is an issue for you, you can always use Beeper Cloud, which is the new name for the original Beeper app. This app can incorporate iMessage, RCS, and many other messaging apps you may be using. However, please note that the cloud app will require you to sign in with your Apple ID and to have access to a Mac or PC for the initial setup. These extra steps are not needed on the Beeper Mini app since it connects directly to the remote network instead of using a server.
Beeper product roadmap | Source - blog.beeper.com
However, Beeper's product roadmap states that Beeper Mini will continue to expand by adding more iMessage features such as importing past chat history, Facetime audio and video calls, and scheduled messages. Additionally, the app will gain support for Android OS chat bubbles, SMS, WhatsApp, and Signal, plus the other 10 non-encrypted chat networks that are currently supported on the Beeper Cloud app — among other planned features.
Eventually, Beeper Mini will replace Beeper Cloud and it will all become just one app again called "Beeper." A new unified messaging app that uses a more advanced security protocol and was developed with Android's Material Design in mind. You can download the app right now from the Google Play Store without having to go through a waitlist.
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Johanna 'Jojo the Techie' is a skilled mobile technology expert with over 15 years of hands-on experience, specializing in the Google ecosystem and Pixel devices. Known for her user-friendly approach, she leverages her vast tech support background to provide accessible and insightful coverage on latest technology trends. As a recognized thought leader and official member of #TeamPixel, Johanna ensures she stays at the forefront of Google services and products, making her a reliable source for all things Pixel and ChromeOS.
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