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Beeper Mini: You can now send iMessages with the Android app

6.12.2023

Translation: machine translated

With the Android app "Beeper Mini", you can now receive and send iMessages - without having to use an Apple device yourself. The code behind the function comes from a 16-year-old high school student who gave it to the start-up "Beeper".

With the Android app "Beeper Mini" you can now receive and send iMessages - without having to use an Apple device yourself. The code behind the function comes from a 16-year-old high school student.

This could be a new chapter in the Apple / Android chat problem: With the chat app "Beeper Mini", you can send and receive iMessages to iPhones from your Android device. This is made possible by a new function in the app whose code comes from a 16-year-old high school student. You can now send messages back and forth between Android devices and iPhones on the data network without having to use WhatsApp and the like.

Virtual Mac is no longer needed

Unlike previous DIY solutions, iMessages via Beeper Mini no longer require a Mac as a virtual intermediary. Beeper was able to implement the iMessage protocol in its messenger and thus communicate with Apple's servers. Even the end-to-end encryption remains intact. You can read about how this works in detail in the proof of concept, which Beeper has published on Github.

Flo and Samuel have tried out the app - successfully. iPhone on the left, Android on the right.
Source: Florian Bodoky

You can even choose whether the iMessages are sent from your mobile number or whether you log in with your Apple ID. The data is only transmitted to Apple's servers and is not tapped anywhere, the company emphasises.

RCS is coming in 2024

Apple recently announced that it will implement RCS in 2024. The messaging standard is intended to ensure that Android and iPhone owners can exchange messages without having to rely on additional software or the outdated SMS technology.

News + Trends
Hell freezes over: Apple introduces RCS chat protocol
by Florian Bodoky

Bad people claim that Apple is only introducing RCS because the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) could categorise iMessage as a core service. The DMA, which comes into force in March 2024, prohibits companies from having a monopoly on core services. Accordingly, Apple would also have to make its iMessage technology available to other suppliers. According to these rumours, Apple hopes that the opening up of iMessage will be considered obsolete with the introduction of RCS. Apple has not yet responded to the latest development with the Beeper Mini app.

Cover image: Shutterstock

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Florian Bodoky

Editor

Florian.Bodoky@digitecgalaxus.ch

I've been tinkering with digital networks ever since I found out how to activate both telephone channels on the ISDN card for greater bandwidth. As for the analogue variety, I've been doing that since I learned to talk. Though Winterthur is my adoptive home city, my heart still bleeds red and blue.

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