Beeper Mini Resorts to Jailbreaking iPhones to Rescue Blue Bubbles

[MacRumors]

The developers of Beeper Mini, the iMessage for Android app, are back with another attempt to keep Apple's blue bubbles onside, and this time they will ask users to generate their iMessage registration data with the help of jailbroken iPhones, MacRumors has learned.

Beeper Mini operates by identifying text message conversations from iMessage users and converting them to the recognizable blue bubbles associated with Apple's exclusive messaging service. This enables Android users to interact with iMessage features such as reactions, threads, high-quality media sharing, and group chats, without the iPhone users noticing any difference.

When Beeper Mini first launched, Android users were able to register their phone numbers with Beeper Mini, but Apple quickly shut down this avenue, and Beeper Mini now only works with an Apple ID email address. Android users have since required access to a Mac with Beeper Cloud installed to generate their iMessage registration data and get Beeper on Android working, but the service has seen poor reliability of late, with multiple interruptions reported.

In its latest effort to keep the service afloat, Beeper will suggest that users get hold of an old iPhone to get iMessage working on their Android phone. Users will then be asked to install a free Beeper tool to generate an iMessage registration code that will reinstate the ability to register phone numbers on the service. The catch is that the iPhone must first be jailbroken, and it must be kept plugged into power, at home, and connected to Wi-Fi for periodic registration re-requests.

If users don't have access to an old iPhone for jailbreaking in order to complete the registration process, that's okay – Beeper will rent them one for a small monthly fee. The developers say this service will be available in the new year, if there is enough interest. The plan was leaked ahead of time when a Beeper blog post was published late Wednesday then swiftly removed, but not before a snapshot was generated by the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, as spotted by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris.

With the increasing amount of hoops Android users are being asked to jump through, Beeper is facing an ever-worsening existential crisis. When the requirement to have a Mac was added in the mix, it was not surprising that Android users began finding the app to be more of a hassle than a help. With this latest twist – literally requiring an iPhone (or Mac) to get the service working as it should – it's hard to see the approach gaining traction. And with Apple planning to adopt RCS next year to bring many iMessage features to conversations with Android users, community enthusiasm for the project has likely already peaked.

Beeper Mini launched using a reverse engineered version of iMessage, and the app was registering the phone numbers of Android users with fake iMessage credentials using Apple's own servers. Apple made it clear that it views Beeper Mini as a security risk, and that it has no intention of allowing the app to use iMessage in any capacity.

Article Link: Beeper Mini Resorts to Jailbreaking iPhones to Rescue Blue Bubbles

 

[anshuvorty]

lol…freakin fail…

 

[ugahairydawgs]

Why would an Android user care enough about iMessage to jump through all these hoops?

I get that Beeper's parent company is trying anything they can to keep their product alive, but it's pretty clear that any workarounds they do find will be short lived. Apple doesn't want it, so this product is already dead. At some point they are going to have to accept that reality instead of continuing to light their VC $$ on fire.

 

[elvisimprsntr]

Android users are literally green with envy and will do anything to be blue to avoid the stigma of owning an Android device amongst their high school peers.

 

[spartan1967]

Not sure how this helps them.

 

[ForzaJuve]

Wouldn’t it just be easier to buy an iPhone if you care so much for every one you text to know that you own one?

 

[onepoint]

...so they need to use an iPhone in order to have blue bubbles on their Android

 

[TMRJIJ]

No, seriously... Just take the L already.

 

[kevinpdoyle]

 

[morrismh]

Beyond stupid...just buy an iPhone if it means that much to you?

 

[CWallace]

So those who jokingly suggested that next Beeper would require an iPhone were not wrong.

 

[triptolemus]

It's 👏 not 👏 just 👏 about 👏 the 👏 blue 👏 bubbles.

I don't understand why this stupid narrative keeps repeating.

 

[sdugoten]

For those Android users wonder why some of the Apple users go against Beeper mini, here is the reason.

No, I don't care if Android user can use iMessages. If Apple allow Android to use it, all power to you. If they don't allow other system to tap into their system, that is another story.

You do know that more users tap into system means that will take up resources on Apple infrastructures. Nothing is free. If that will put more load on their servers which in turns make the infrastructures overload and make my service slower, or increase whatever monthly payment I am paying to Apple due to this reason, I would go against whoever use these hack.

Nothing is free. If they charge Android users a monthly fee to use iMessage, all power to you. If Beeper Mini put more stress on their infrastructures and then I was forced to put up with slower performance on MY service, that is not something I want to see.

 

[DavidLeblond]

Ha ha! Take that, Apple! Android folks can have blue bubbles and all they have to do for that is to... buy an iPhone.

Apple will never recover from this!

 

[chrono1081]

Jesus this is ridiculous. The blue bubble thing was a meme but people got so butthurt they made apps like this. Unreal. Android folks spend so much time thinking about Apple but I never think about Android.

 

[Verified Whiskey]

Can we stop giving beeper mini free press please? This is getting ridiculous. Just let it die. You’re now attracting the eyes of legislators because of how much coverage this desperate company is getting.

 

[Think|Different]

I almost abhor this tremendously overused word but…yeah, major cringe.

 

[0815]

Are there Android users who are so desperate for this to jump through all these hoops?

All Android users that I know (and with whom I text in 'green') don't care and never would do this ...

Really would like to see the business plan of Beeper how they plan to make money and how much - can't assume there will be lots of people renting iPhones for them for this. Any business model based on reversed engineering and stupid hacks is not a good one.

 

[Quicksilver867]

It's almost like there's an existing messaging standard that would make all of this obsolete. It's become a PITA anyway.

 

[lenningj]

Tell this beeper guy to get help

 

[Paul Shields]

A flesh wound!

 

[scorpio vega]

Why would an Android user care enough about iMessage to jump through all these hoops?

Because that is what desperation gets you.

Android users are literally green with envy and will do anything to be blue to avoid the stigma of owning an Android device amongst their high school peers.

The level of entitlement is truly sad.

so they need to use an iPhone in order to have blue bubbles on their Android

The irony...and you just know some of these people are going to literally go out and buy an iPhone off ebay or swappa just to have blue bubbles.

It's 👏 not 👏 just 👏 about 👏 the 👏 blue 👏 bubbles.

I don't understand why this stupid narrative keeps repeating.

About the same reason why this company has literally became a joke of itself.

First they praised the kid who hacked Apple's system to get into iMessage and charged people for it.

Got blocked.

Then they managed to get around it, and still got blocked after not charging.

Then they required you to have a mac with a certain amount of people accessing it.....apparently that doesn't work.

Now, the most HILARIOUS, and ironic thing is....they suggest you buy an iPhone to use iMessage on your android lmao.

You want to sit here and act like it is not about a Bubble color and that's fine lmao. But you android fans have better luck trying to convince people to use Whatsapp, telegram or ANY app than to actually get a working iMessage client and this is sad that you guys are continuing to support this joke of a company who is literally taking the desperation of Android users and profiting off it and using it to garner sympathy for a failed project.

It was cool a month ago, it is sad now....

And yes for many people, it is about a blue bubble.

Jesus this is ridiculous. The blue bubble thing was a meme but people got so butthurt they made apps like this. Unreal. Android folks spend so much time thinking about Apple but I never think about Android.

Like i swear, part of me hates that MR is constantly reporting on this hot mess (and from what I gather this is not the first time the CEO has backed a failed project this hard) but on the other hand, at this point this level of desperation is hilarious to me.

 

[rgeneral]

I feel sorry for the investors on this. what a dumb business model.

 

[scorpio vega]

Beeper is like that annoying guy (or girl) who you don't want anything to do with. You've made it clear. You even go out of your way to keep them away from you and they continue to stalk you in hopes they will wear you down and you say yes to a date LOL

 

[AlexStudios]

At this point, Beeper Mini has already lost. Apple is already committed to bringing RCS next year but some company like this just don't know how to be patient; they just want it now rather than perfection. The more they keep trying to keep it afloat, the more Apple is likely they'll do legal action on them.





Let it die, Let it die! Let it shrivel up and die.