Apple has reportedly cut off the access of Beeper Mini, a service that allowed Android users to send and receive iMessages without owning an Apple device. Beeper Mini was launched in November 2023 by Beeper, a startup that aims to unify various messaging platforms into one app. Beeper Mini claimed to use a "reverse-engineered" version of iMessage that bypassed the need for an Apple ID or a Mac to function.
However, on December 3, 2023, Beeper Mini users started to experience an outage, and Beeper CEO Eric Migicovsky tweeted that "all data indicates" that Apple had found a way to block the service. He also said that Beeper was working on a solution, but did not provide any details or timeline. Migicovsky later deleted his tweet, but not before it was captured by Techmeme.
Beeper Mini was not the first service to attempt to bring iMessage to Android. Other services, such as AirMessage and BlueBubbles, have also offered similar functionality, but they required users to have a Mac computer running in the background to act as a bridge between iMessage and Android. Beeper Mini, on the other hand, claimed to use a cloud-based solution that did not require any additional hardware.
The appeal of iMessage for Android users is understandable, given that iMessage is one of the most popular and exclusive features of the Apple ecosystem. iMessage offers end-to-end encryption, rich media sharing, group chats, stickers, and other features that are not available on standard SMS or MMS. iMessage also allows users to see when their messages are delivered and read, and when the other person is typing. Moreover, iMessage is often seen as a social status symbol, as it distinguishes iPhone users from Android users by the color of their message bubbles (blue for iMessage, green for SMS).
However, Apple has always been reluctant to make iMessage cross-platform, as it is one of the main reasons why people choose to buy and stick with iPhones. Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, Craig Federighi, once said that "iMessage on Android would simply serve to remove [an] obstacle to iPhone families giving their kids Android phones". Therefore, it is not surprising that Apple would take action against any service that tries to circumvent its control over iMessage.
Beeper Mini's outage has sparked mixed reactions from users and observers. Some have criticized Apple for being anti-competitive and limiting consumer choice, while others have defended Apple's right to protect its intellectual property and user privacy. Some have also questioned the security and reliability of Beeper Mini, as it required users to trust a third-party service with their messages and Apple ID credentials.
It is unclear whether Beeper Mini will be able to resume its service, or whether Apple will take any legal action against Beeper. It is also unclear whether Apple will ever consider opening up iMessage to other platforms, or whether Android users will ever get to enjoy the benefits of iMessage without switching to an iPhone. For now, it seems that iMessage remains a blue bubble dream for many Android users..