Beeper (application)

Last updated
Beeper
Other names
  • NovaChat
  • Beeper Cloud
Original author(s)
Developer(s)
Initial release2020;4 years ago (2020)
Repository github.com/beeper
Operating system
Standard(s) Matrix
Website beeper.com

Beeper is an instant messenger software that enables using a variety of chat services and protocols all from the same application. Originally developed by Beeper Inc, it was acquired by Automattic in April 2024.

Contents

Features

Beeper supports a variety of chat services and protocols, including Discord, Facebook Messenger, IRC (via Libera Chat), Matrix, Signal, Skype, Slack, SMS/RCS (via Google Messages), Telegram, and WhatsApp. [1] [2] [3] The app used to support iMessage, but has since been removed due to unreliable performance caused by iMessage's operator Apple. [4] Beeper is built on top of the Matrix protocol and Element application, bridged to the other services. [5]

History

Previous logo Beeper logo 2021.svg
Previous logo

Beeper was created in 2020 by Eric Migicovsky, Brad Murray and Tulir Asokan [6] [7] [8] as NovaChat. The company is located in Palo Alto, California. [6] Migicovsky was previously the founder of smartwatch company Pebble. [1]

The company renamed the app from Beeper to Beeper Cloud upon launching Beeper Mini in December 2023. [9] It got renamed back into Beeper in 2024. [10]

In April 2024, Automattic, owner of the similar cross-platform messaging application Texts since the year before, acquired Beeper for $125M. [11] [12] The plan is for Texts and Beeper to merge under the Beeper brand. [13]

Beeper Mini

Beeper Mini was a version of the application focused on supporting iMessage on Android.

In 2023, James Gill – a 16-year-old Saucon Valley High School student at the time – reverse engineered Apple's iMessage instant messaging protocol after inspecting the network traffic generated by Apple Music on Windows and by iMessage on macOS. Gill published a proof of concept called Pypush that reimplemented iMessage in the Python programming language and released it on GitHub. After Gill contacted Migicovsky via Discord in August 2023, Migicovsky hired Gill to apply the implementation in Beeper Mini. [14] [15] [16]

On December 5, 2023, the company released Beeper Mini, an Android app that can send messages through Apple's iMessage instant messaging service. [16] [14] The app was marketed as a way for Android users to communicate with iOS users through chat bubbles that are blue, the color used by Messages – the built-in text messaging app on iPhones – to show texts sent through iMessage. [17] Apple keeps iMessage exclusive to Apple devices and only allows Messages to communicate with Android users through the lesser-featured SMS protocol with texts that are displayed in green chat bubbles, which are disfavored among some iPhone users who perceive them as an indicator of lower social status. [14] [18] Beeper Mini uses a reverse-engineered implementation of the iMessage communication protocol that supports some of iMessage's features, including blue chat bubbles and end-to-end encryption. [19]

Beeper Mini was downloaded more than 100,000 times within two days of launch. After the release, Apple repeatedly blocked Beeper Mini from sending messages through iMessage, and Beeper updated the app multiple times to circumvent Apple's blocks. [18] On December 21, 2023, Beeper issued its last update to Beeper Mini, which requires users to access an iOS or macOS device to enable the app to send messages through iMessage. [20]

At the urging of congresspersons Amy Klobuchar, Mike Lee, Jerry Nadler, and Ken Buck, [21] the United States Department of Justice initiated an antitrust investigation on December 22, 2023 to examine Apple's blocking of Beeper Mini. [22]

Beeper Mini was discontinued in 2024. [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

The landscape for instant messaging involves cross-platform instant messaging clients that can handle one or multiple protocols. Clients that use the same protocol can typically federate and talk to one another. The following table compares general and technical information for cross-platform instant messaging clients in active development, each of which have their own article that provide further information.

Rich Communication Services (RCS) is a communication protocol standard for instant messaging, primarily for mobile phones, developed and defined by the GSM Association (GSMA). It aims to be a replacement of SMS and MMS on cellular networks with more modern features including high resolution image and video support, typing indicators, file sharing, and improved group chat functionality. As for MMS, mobile service must be activated. Development of RCS began in 2007 but early versions lacked features and interoperability; a new specification named Universal Profile was developed and has been continually rolled out since 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WhatsApp</span> Messaging and VoIP service owned by Meta

WhatsApp is an instant messaging (IM) and voice-over-IP (VoIP) service owned by technology conglomerate Meta. It allows users to send text, voice messages and video messages, make voice and video calls, and share images, documents, user locations, and other content. WhatsApp's client application runs on mobile devices, and can be accessed from computers. The service requires a cellular mobile telephone number to sign up. In January 2018, WhatsApp released a standalone business app called WhatsApp Business which can communicate with the standard WhatsApp client.

iMessage Instant messaging service by Apple

iMessage is an instant messaging service developed by Apple Inc. and launched in 2011. iMessage functions exclusively on Apple platforms – including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and visionOS – as part of Apple's approach to inter-device integration, which has been described by media outlets as a means of achieving vendor lock-in. iMessage is accessed and used using the Messages app client.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messages (Apple)</span> Instant messaging software applications

Messages is a text messaging software application developed by Apple Inc. for its macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and visionOS operating systems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messenger (software)</span> American instant messaging app

Messenger, also known as Facebook Messenger, is an American proprietary instant messaging service developed by Meta Platforms. Originally developed as Facebook Chat in 2008, the client application of Messenger is currently available on iOS and Android mobile platforms, Windows and macOS desktop platforms, through the Messenger.com web application, and on the standalone Facebook Portal hardware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ChatON</span> Mobile communication service

ChatON was a global mobile communication service provided by Samsung Electronics from September 2011 to March 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Google Hangouts</span> Communication software by Google

Google Hangouts was a cross-platform instant messaging (IM) service developed by Google. It originally was a feature of Google+, becoming a standalone product in 2013, when Google also began integrating features from Google+ Messenger and Google Talk into Hangouts. Google then began integrating features of Google Voice, its Internet telephony product, into Hangouts, stating that Hangouts was designed to be "the future" of Voice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telegram (software)</span> Cross-platform instant messaging service

Telegram Messenger, commonly known as Telegram, is a cloud-based, cross-platform, social media and instant messaging (IM) service. It was originally launched for iOS on 14 August 2013 and Android on 20 October 2013. It allows users to exchange messages, share media and files, and hold private and group voice or video calls as well as public livestreams. It is available for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Linux, and web browsers. Telegram offers end-to-end encryption in voice and video calls, and in optional private chats, which Telegram calls Secret Chats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ChatSecure</span> Messaging application

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Wire Swiss GmbH is a software company with headquarters in Zug, Switzerland. Its development center is in Berlin, Germany. The company is best known for its messaging application called Wire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Signal (software)</span> Privacy-focused encrypted messaging app

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">MailTime</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Google Allo</span> Instant messaging app by Google

Google Allo was an instant messaging mobile app by Google for the Android and iOS mobile operating systems, with a web client available in some web browsers. It closed on March 12, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fediverse</span> Network of federated social media platforms

The fediverse is a collection of social networking services that can communicate with each other using a common protocol. Users of different websites can send and receive status updates, multimedia files and other data across the network. The term fediverse is a portmanteau of "federation" and "universe".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Google Messages</span> Messaging application developed by Google

Google Messages is a text messaging software application developed by Google for its Android and Wear OS mobile operating systems. It is also available as a web app.

Comparison of user features of messaging platforms refers to a comparison of all the various user features of various electronic instant messaging platforms. This includes a wide variety of resources; it includes standalone apps, platforms within websites, computer software, and various internal functions available on specific devices, such as iMessage for iPhones.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spotify Live</span> Defunct social audio service

Spotify Live, formerly Spotify Greenroom, was a social audio app by Spotify, that allowed users to host or participate in live-audio virtual environments called "room" for conversations. Each room had a maximum capacity of 1000 people. The app was available on Android and iOS, competing with Twitter Spaces and Clubhouse in the social media segment. It was shut down on April 30, 2023.

Eric Migicovsky is a Canadian engineer and businessman. Migicovsky founded the smartwatch company Pebble and co-founded the instant messaging software company Beeper.

References

  1. 1 2 Porter, Jon (21 January 2021). "Pebble founder promises iMessage on Android and Windows with universal chat app". The Verge . Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  2. ↑ Perez, Sarah (5 December 2023). "Beeper reverse-engineered iMessage to bring blue bubble texts to Android users". TechCrunch . Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  3. ↑ Schoon, Ben (17 August 2023). "Beeper adds support for Google Messages RCS alongside iMessage, works on Android and iPhone". 9to5Google . Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  4. ↑ Roth, Emma (2023-12-21). "Beeper is giving up on its iMessage dream". The Verge. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
  5. ↑ "Beeper Tackles iMessage Lock-In and Reinvents Consumer Chat Interop". www.m.io. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  6. 1 2 "Beeper Mini, the iMessage app for Android, gives you the blue bubble". The Indian Express . 6 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  7. ↑ Holt, Kris (11 December 2023). "Beeper Mini is back, promising iMessage access on Android if you sign in with an Apple ID". Engadget . Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  8. ↑ Perez, Sarah (2021-01-21). "Pebble founder launches Beeper, a universal chat app that works with iMessage and others". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  9. ↑ Myrick, Andrew (6 December 2023). "How to use iMessage on Android with Beeper Mini". Android Central . Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  10. ↑ "Beeper is now available, no waitlist!". Beeper Blog. 2024-04-09. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
  11. ↑ Perez, Sarah. "WordPress.com owner Automattic acquires multiservice messaging app Beeper for $125M". Tech Crunch. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  12. ↑ Purdy, Kevin (2024-04-09). "Wordpress.com owner acquires Beeper, giving it two chat apps to rule them all". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  13. ↑ Perez, Sarah (2024-04-09). "WordPress.com owner Automattic acquires multiservice messaging app Beeper for $125M". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2024-04-11.
  14. 1 2 3 Mickle, Tripp; Isaac, Mike (22 December 2023). "Apple's Newest Headache: An App That Upended Its Control Over Messaging". The New York Times . Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  15. ↑ Goode, Lauren (5 December 2023). "Meet the 16-Year-Old Whose Code Is Jailbreaking iMessage". Wired . Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  16. 1 2 Kastrenakes, Jacob (5 December 2023). "There's a new iMessage for Android app — and it actually works". The Verge . Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  17. ↑ Kent, Jo Ling; Novak, Analisa (18 December 2023). "New app seeks to end iPhone-Android text color bubble divide - CBS News". CBS News . Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  18. 1 2 Nguyen, Nicole (22 December 2023). "The Fight Over Apple's iMessage and Those Green Bubbles". The Wall Street Journal . Archived from the original on 22 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  19. ↑ Purdy, Kevin (5 December 2023). "Beeper Mini for Android sends and receives iMessages, no Mac server required". Ars Technica . Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  20. ↑ Bonk, Lawrence (21 December 2023). "Beeper says it's done playing cat and mouse with Apple over its iMessage for Android app". Engadget . Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  21. ↑ Holt, Kris (18 December 2023). "US lawmakers call for DOJ probe into Apple's blocking of Beeper's iMessage app". Engadget . Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  22. ↑ Lovejoy, Ben (22 December 2023). "Department of Justice investigating Apple blocking Beeper; FTC too". 9to5Mac . Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  23. ↑ "Beeper – Moving Forward". Beeper Blog. 2023-12-21. Retrieved 2024-06-27.

Further reading

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