The simmering dispute between Apple and Beeper, the app that briefly brought iMessage’s blue bubbles to Android, could take a significant turn. According to The Verge Two United States senators and two representatives have requested the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Apple for “potentially anticompetitive conduct” over its attempts to shut down Beeper’s services.
Senators Amy Klobuchar and Mike Lee, along with Representatives Jerry Nadler and Ken Buck, expressed concerns in a letter to the DOJ that Beeper Mini, the Android app offering iMessage compatibility, challenged Apple’s market dominance. They argued that Beeper’s existence threatened “Apple’s leverage by creating a more competitive mobile applications market, which in turn creates a more competitive mobile device market.”
In a recent interview, Beeper CEO Eric Migicovsky and developer James Gill, the 16-year-old who reverse-engineered the software for Beeper Mini, spoke about their efforts to keep the app alive. Migicovsky reiterated his belief that Apple has a monopoly on iMessage and emphasized Beeper’s aim to provide a service users desire for other platforms.
The lawmakers’ letter also referenced a Department of Commerce report labeling Apple a “gatekeeper,” mirroring language used in the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) set to be effective early next year. They highlighted Migicovsky’s 2021 Senate Judiciary Committee testimony warning that “dominant messaging services would use their position to impose barriers to interoperability” and keep smaller companies like Beeper at bay. “Given Apple’s recent actions, that concern appears prescient,” they added.
Since Beeper Mini’s launch on December 5, Apple has made repeated attempts to disable the app and its predecessor, the server-based Beeper Cloud solution. Outages plagued both services starting December 8, and on December 13, Beeper confirmed Apple was purposefully blocking iMessages for around 5% of Beeper Mini users.
Apple spokesperson Nadine Haija acknowledged the shutdown, stating that the company “took steps to protect our users by blocking techniques that exploit fake credentials in order to gain access to iMessage.” Despite Beeper’s attempts to restore service, over 60% of users still faced iMessage disruptions as of December 17.
Meanwhile, pressure on Apple to make iMessage interoperable intensifies beyond US borders. Google, in a November letter to the European Commission, argued that iMessage’s significance should make it subject to the DMA’s “core” service regulations. The Commission is currently investigating this claim, alongside inquiries into Bing, Edge, and Microsoft Advertising.
While the DOJ’s potential investigation could force Apple to open up iMessage, the tech giant might find alternate methods to impede competitors like Beeper without legal repercussions. Alternatively, a surprise move towards interoperability could reshape the messaging landscape.
One thing is certain: the battle for messaging supremacy is far from over. This evolving tech telenovela promises more twists and turns.
