Beeper users facing iMessage disruptions can exhale (and maybe give their Macs a friendly pat) as the company announced a solution arriving on December 20. The fix addresses Apple’s recent steps to block Beeper’s service, which allows Android users to access iMessage.
Beeper initially gained traction by offering Android users access to iMessage without the need for a Mac or any Apple device, a feat that set it apart from existing solutions. However, the upcoming December 20 fix introduces a new requirement: Mac access or friendly data sharing.
The core of the ongoing issue lies in “registration data,” required to connect iMessage to the third-party service, according to Beeper. Previously, Beeper used a shared pool of this data, making Apple’s intervention easier. The new solution, available in tomorrow’s Beeper Cloud update for Mac, generates unique registration data for each user, creating a one-to-one connection that, in testing, proves highly reliable.
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Beeper Mini users can leverage this fix by using their Mac-generated registration data, restoring their blue-bubbled chat access on their Android devices. However, a caveat exists: the Mac needs to be switched on periodically (roughly once a week or month) to regenerate the data and maintain uninterrupted iMessage flow.
For those lacking a Mac, Beeper offers a friendly workaround: borrowing registration data from a Mac-owning Beeper friend. Tests indicate that 10-20 Beeper users can safely share the same data, opening the door to collaborative connectivity. Beeper says it plans to open-source both its iMessage bridge and the Mac code generating registration data as part of its commitment to transparency.
The Beeper fix arrives amidst an increasingly heated debate regarding potential anti-competitive practices in the messaging platform landscape. Two US senators and two representatives recently urged the DOJ (Department of Justice) to investigate Apple’s actions against Beeper, citing concerns that Apple’s attempts to block the service might violate antitrust laws.
In a statement last week, an Apple spokesperson indirectly confirmed it took steps to render Beeper’s iMessage for Android solution inoperable, saying, in part, it will “continue to make updates in the future to protect our users.”
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
Apple’s statement on Beeper
