All-in-One Chat App 'Beeper' Brings iMessage to Android and Windows Using Workaround

by

New universal chat app "Beeper" combines 15 different chat platforms into a single inbox and offers iMessage on Android and Windows (via The Verge).

beeper app

The app comes from a team including former Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky, and enables users to integrate a range of messaging services, including WhatsApp, SMS, Signal, Telegram, Slack, Twitter, Skype, Hangouts, Discord, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger, into a single, searchable inbox. Most striking is support for Apple's iMessage, as it is only officially available on Apple devices.

The app is "using some trickery" to achieve this, with the website's FAQ revealing that an always-online Mac running the Beeper app is needed to use as a bridge. Alternately, Beeper will ship a "Jailbroken iPhone with the Beeper app installed which bridges to iMessage" to users unable to use a Mac.

The app is built on the open-source Matrix messaging protocol. While the clear short-term objective is to make it easier to chat across different services, Migicovsky has discussed the prospect of all users gradually transitioning to the open-source Matrix itself to chat, rather than simply using it as a bridge between services.

Beeper will cost $10 per month for its hosted option, and is set to be available on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android. Prospective users can request an early invitation to join the app on the Beeper website.

Tags: Google, Skype, Facebook Messenger, Twitter, iMessage, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, Slack, Telegram, Signal, Discord

Top Rated Comments

b13o0r12e3 Avatar
b13o0r12e3
11 months ago
if you know, you know

Score: 66 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mdridwan47 Avatar
mdridwan47
11 months ago
Honest question. Why doesn't MacRumors fix this?


Attachment Image
Score: 36 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djcerla Avatar
djcerla
11 months ago
"an always-online Mac running the Beeper app is needed to use as a bridge. Alternately, Beeper will ship a "Jailbroken iPhone with the Beeper app installed which bridges to iMessage" to users unable to use a Mac."

Indeed, an elegant workaround.

/s
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jgbr Avatar
jgbr
11 months ago
Countdown until Apple sues them for this....
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
4jasontv Avatar
4jasontv
11 months ago
This will last. /s
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aesc80 Avatar
aesc80
11 months ago

if you know, you know


Those were the days! When you had to be on every service (AIM, YM, hell ICQ) ...
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

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