Apple Confirms It Shut Down iMessage for Android App Beeper Mini

[MacRumors]

Apple today confirmed that it took steps to shut down the functionality of Beeper Mini, an app that enabled Android users to send and receive iMessages.

Apple emphasized its commitment to user privacy and security, explaining that the move was necessitated by the potential risks Beeper Mini's techniques posed, including metadata exposure and susceptibility to spam and phishing attacks. Apple's full statement shared with The Verge and other news sites is as follows:

At Apple, we build our products and services with industry-leading privacy and security technologies designed to give users control of their data and keep personal information safe. We took steps to protect our users by blocking techniques that exploit fake credentials in order to gain access to iMessage. These techniques posed significant risks to user security and privacy, including the potential for metadata exposure and enabling unwanted messages, spam, and phishing attacks. We will continue to make updates in the future to protect our users.

Beeper Mini operated by intercepting the iMessage protocol using Apple's own push notification service, convincing Apple's servers it was an authentic Apple device. This method, according to Apple, involved the use of "fake credentials," which posed significant security and privacy risks to users. Beeper claims that its process worked with no compromises to encryption or privacy, and the company's documentation says that nobody can read the content of sent messages other than the sender and its recipient, but Apple was unable to verify this and says it posed risks to users.

Following Apple's statement, Beeper CEO Eric Migicovsky expressed his willingness to cooperate with Apple for a security review of Beeper's code to The Verge. He emphasized the importance of secure communication channels between iPhone and Android users, challenging Apple's decision by highlighting the inadequacies of unencrypted SMS for cross-platform messaging. Despite Apple's firm stance, Migicovsky remains committed to exploring solutions that could enable the return of Beeper Mini or similar services.

Article Link: Apple Confirms It Shut Down iMessage for Android App Beeper Mini

 

[iBluetooth]

convincing Apple's servers it was an authentic Apple device

This hack is quite a weak point in the security and should be rightfully blocked.

 

[6787872]

throw timmy in jail until he stops being so anticompetitive.

 

[diddl14]

Not sure why anyone would think they could build a business around this?
Pretty clear that Apple would and will close any loopholes, even if they have to upgrade the OS itself and make it incompatible with older versions.

 

[zilchfox]

Again, this was expected.

 

[MrRom92]

People who want services like this are overly fixated on the whole “blue bubble” thing and I feel like they are kinda entirely missing the point

 

[SteveJUAE]

I guess Beeper can't afford the +$100m Apple hush money like Google

 

[rorschach]

throw timmy in jail until he stops being so anticompetitive.

"Anticompetitive" in what way? Apple built and maintains a service that costs them money. They pay for it by selling other products and services. Have these clowns offered to pay Apple for the use of their servers? (That's not even getting into the security issues.)

 

[alchemistmuffin]

Following Apple's statement, Beeper CEO Eric Migicovsky expressed his willingness to cooperate with Apple for a security review of Beeper's code to The Verge.

Instead Apple’s likely going to kick Beeper off the App Store, terminate the developer account, remote erase and brick the devices logged in with Apple ID associated either device and ban them from owning Apple device for life, and potentially turn on the KILL SWITCH to remotely delete the app from all the installed devices. (No refunds for paid users)

Basically, you break Apple’s rule, you pay the price by not only being banned from App Store, they ban you from ever owning Apple devices and ecosystem for life.

 

[swiftapplefan]

Of course they did...

 

[Ivander]

And rightfully so. No matter how you call it - reverse engineering, hacking, finding loopholes etc., at the end of the day basically that company steals an Apple service in order to gain profit.

 

[Haiku_Oezu]

The only surprising thing is they thought they could get away with charging for this

 

[nfl46]

New article soon: Beeper Mini is back online.

Then a few days later: Apple closes the second loophole to the Beeper Mini fix.

I'm here for the fun.

 

[mihighil]

Instead Apple’s likely going to kick Beeper off the App Store, terminate the developer account, remote erase and brick the devices logged in with Apple ID associated either device and ban them from owning Apple device for life, and potentially turn on the KILL SWITCH to remotely delete the app from all the installed devices. (No refunds for paid users)

Basically, you break Apple’s rule, you pay the price by not only being banned from App Store, they ban you from ever owning Apple devices and ecosystem for life.

Yeah they should probably shoot the people that used the app…its the only logical thing to do.

 

[a m u n]

Next time, don’t break the rules.

 

[Kebabselector]

Thanks for finding bugs Beeper and making iMessage a bit more secure!!

 

[azentropy]

This was an interesting work around, but I think most people knew it wasn't going to last. There might be another attempt to "fix" the issue, but that won't last either. Apple has announced RCS support coming next year, however I still think Apple would be smart in offering an iMessage client for Android (and even PCs) for say $4.99/mo.

 

[LV426]

People who want services like this are overly fixated on the whole “blue bubble” thing and I feel like they are kinda entirely missing the point

I just want interoperability and privacy. It's mad that it costs me £0.60 each time I send a photo to an Android buddy using MMS.

 

[Ishayu]

This hack is quite a weak point in the security and should be rightfully blocked.

I agree, but on the other hand I strongly disagree with them locking down iMessage like this in the first place. Beeper Mini did not have malicious intentions.

Surely there should be a way to provide a hardware key from any other device and log in using it. Surely, someone who owns an Apple device should at the very least be able to authenticate an iMessage system on a 3rd party device.

They say it's about spam - I don't believe that. The amount of spam even in Discord is as small as it is on iMessage. I'm not buying it.

PS: Also, I should note that the exploit they were using wasn't new. I used it for a Hackintosh over 10 years ago. They certainly did know about it for a long, long time. The only reason they did this was to kill Beeper, not because of the security breach. Don't kid yourselves.

 

[TheLunaPark]

As impressive as it was to get this to work, he’s rather naive if he thought there was a viable business to be had in all of this. What did he honestly expect? Besides, surely upcoming RCS support negates the reason for this even existing?

 

[keifer.street]

"Anticompetitive" in what way? Apple built and maintains a service that costs them money. They pay for it by selling other products and services. Have these clowns offered to pay Apple for the use of their servers? (That's not even getting into the security issues.)

Ok I’m not an advocate of ‘throwing Timmy in jail’, but you’re kidding yourself if you think Apple isn’t anti-competitive when it comes to iMessage. Apple could offer iMessage on Android, but intentionally chose not to do so because they were afraid more kids would chose Android relative to their parents - this actually came out in public discovery in the Epic v Apple court case.

Also, when asked publicly about RCS or cross platform support for secure, rich communications between Apple and Android users, Tim famously said ‘buy your mom an iPhone’

I would posit to you a company whose answer to cross compatibility is simply ‘Make everyone on planet Earth buy our iPhones, problem solved!’ is extremely monopolistic and anticompetitive.

Source: Yahoo News
“During a question-and-answer session, a journalist raised the issue of the iPhone’s incompatibility with rich communication services (RCS) messaging, preventing the seamless sharing of video clips with their Android-using mom. It’s been a longstanding issue between Apple and Android devices. Cook acknowledged that it isn’t a top priority for the company. If the reporter wanted to fix the issue, Cook joked, “buy your mom an iPhone.””

Source: The Verge
“Eddy Cue pushed to bring iMessage to Android as early as 2013, according to a new deposition made public as part of the Epic case. Currently Apple’s senior VP of software and services, Cue wanted to devote a full team to iMessage support on Android, only to be overruled by other executives.
The line of questioning is likely to play a significant role in Epic’s antitrust lawsuit, which argues that iOS app store exclusivity represents an illegal use of market power. Epic has made clear in previous filings that it plans to make iMessage exclusivity part of that argument, citing a 2016 email from Phil Schiller that argues iMessage expansion “will hurt us more than help us.””

 

[ApplesAreSweet&Sour]

This was an interesting work around, but I think most people knew it wasn't going to last. There might be another attempt to "fix" the issue, but that won't last either. Apple has announced RCS support coming next year, however I still think Apple would be smart in offering an iMessage client for Android (and even PCs) for say $4.99/mo.

Keeping iMessage exclusive to Apple products is far more valuable to Apple than letting it run on hardware by any brand.

Apple doesn’t make attractive apps and products just to lend them out to anyone willing to pay.

There are a few exceptions to this. But that’s obviously only for its least unique and attractive apps, like iTunes, Music, and Podcasts.

There are consumers who switch to and stay in the Apple ecosystem just to get stuff like iMessage and Apple Watch.

Apple would lose far more by letting consumers use these products and services on non-Apple devices than any small or large subscription fees it could charge.

The walled garden is a foundational pillar of Apple’s business model. Love it or hate it, Beeper mini is not going to change that under any circumstances.

 

[falkon-engine]

Don’t steal iMessage.

 

[Shanghaichica]

The only surprising thing is they thought they could get away with charging for this

Maybe they were just out to make a quick buck. The way all the tech news covered it like it was the second coming of Christ. That didn’t age well.

 

[cgs1xx]

Let’s keep iMessage iMessage. Anyone who wants in can get an iPhone, iPad or Mac.

Simple 🤷🏻