Beeper Mini, a messaging app developed by a startup led by Eric Migicovsky, the former co-founder of Pebble, was launched on Tuesday. This app allows Android smartphone users to access Apple’s iMessage service by paying a small monthly fee. Recently, a UK-based startup called Nothing released a chat app with similar features, but it faced privacy concerns and was quickly removed from the Play Store. Beeper’s new app, however, addresses most of these privacy issues by functioning locally on the user’s smartphone and not requiring an Apple ID.
As stated on the company’s website, the Beeper Mini app is a standalone app for Android smartphones, unlike the older Beeper Cloud app that used a cloud server to relay messages. Beeper claims to have reverse engineered Apple’s iMessage protocol and end-to-end encryption (E2EE) with the assistance of a 16-year-old high-school student and security researcher named “JJTech.”
The app claims that by operating locally, Beeper and Apple cannot view the content of messages sent through Beeper Mini to iMessage users. It directly connects to Apple’s servers, allowing users to send messages as blue bubbles with additional features like read receipts, typing indicators, high-quality media, stickers, reactions, voice notes, and GIFs. Beeper also supports unsending or editing messages. In contrast, Nothing Chats, created with Sunbird, used Apple ID credentials to access iMessage through a server farm. Both apps have been withdrawn due to security flaws. To use Beeper Mini, users must sign in with their Google account, verify their subscription, and grant access to contacts and SMS. Encryption keys are generated for secure iMessage chats.
The Beeper Mini subscription costs $1.99 per month and offers a 7-day trial for new users. If you decide to stop using the service, you can unregister your number on Apple’s website to continue receiving text messages from iMessage users. Signing in with your iCloud credentials is optional, but it allows you to send messages from your email address and other Apple devices. All credentials are securely stored with Apple and not archived. Beeper is not an open source app, so users rely on the company’s claims until a security audit is completed. The company plans to support 15 other chat networks as Beeper Mini transitions to the main Beeper app.