Beeper Mini is currently down, possibly shut down by Apple (Update: partially working)
UPDATE 12/9/23: Beeper has provided an update on both the Beeper Cloud and Beeper Mini apps. Beeper Cloud is partially working, but only for Apple ID logins and not using your phone number. Beeper Mini is still down and the company has had to deregister all the phone numbers from iMessage that were registered via their workaround. This had to be done so that messages from iPhone folks to Android would defer back to being sent via SMS instead of disappearing into the ether. The company does say there is a fix coming soon for both.
Furthermore, the free trial period for the Beeper Mini application is being extended to an additional week, which will reset when the fix is released.
The original story continues below.
Many reports across Reddit and other platforms confirm that Beeper Mini is currently unable to send or receive messages for many users. Some also report that Apple ID sign-in is currently not working if the app is re-installed or activated on a new device. Attempting to use the app to send messages brings back an error message saying “failed to lookup on server; lookup request timed out.”
The reason for the outage was initially unclear. However, in a statement to TechCrunch, Beeper CEO Eric Migicovsky provided more details and confirmed that there is a possibility that Apple found a way to cut off the app's ability to work via the methods it had been using. Furthermore, he added:
If it’s Apple, then I think the biggest question is — if Apple truly cares about the privacy and security of their own iPhone users, why would they try to kill a service that enables iPhones to send encrypted chats to Android users? With their announcement of RCS support, it’s clear that Apple knows they have a gaping hole here. Beeper Mini is here today and works great. Why force iPhone users back to sending unencrypted SMS when they chat with friends on Android?
Upon its launch, Beeper Mini's innovative approach stood out from other iMessage-on-Android solutions. Unlike its competitors, which often relied on third-party servers and questionable security practices, Beeper Mini directly reverse-engineered iMessage, allowing users to sign in with their Apple ID and phone number. This promised a secure and native-like experience for Android users.
However, the app's sudden outage has cast doubt on its future. When asked by TC what today's outage means for Beeper Mini going forward, Migicovsky stated "We'll evaluate options." For now, the Beeper team has posted an update on both Twitter/X and via a reply on Reddit stating that the issue is on their side and that they are currently working on it.
Beeper Mini's outage highlights the challenges inherent in bringing iMessage to Android. Apple's closed ecosystem and proprietary protocols make it difficult for third-party developers to establish a stable and secure connection. With the holidays approaching, users who rely on both Android and iOS devices will be watching closely to see if Beeper Mini can overcome this obstacle and restore its functionality.
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