Beeper, the revolutionary app that brings iMessage to Android users, is implementing a new fix that will allow its users to once again access the service after being blocked by Apple. However, to utilize this solution, one must either have access to a Mac computer or know someone on Beeper with a Mac.
In a Reddit post, the company explained that when users connect iMessage on Beeper, it needs to send identification information called ‘registration data’ from a real Mac.
Until now, Beeper has been utilizing its own fleet of Mac servers to provide this registration data. However, they have found that this method is easily targeted by Apple due to the large number of Beeper users sharing the same data.
But with their new update, set to launch tomorrow, Beeper will begin generating unique registration data for each individual user.
“This 1:1 mapping of registration data to individual user– in our testing– makes the connection highly reliable,” reads the Reddit post. “If you use Beeper Mini, you can also use your Mac registration data and Beeper Mini will once again function. It’s important for the Mac to be turned on regularly as Beeper needs to periodically regenerate this data about once a week or month.”
Beeper goes on to explain that if a user knows someone on Beeper with a Mac, they can ask to use their registration data. After testing, they have found that 10-20 iMessage users can safely share the same data.
The company also shared that they will be making their full iMessage bridge and the Mac code that generates registration data available on open source.
When contacted by TechCrunch for comment, Apple did not respond.
While this new fix will technically keep Beeper functioning, it does limit its appeal as originally, the app allowed non-Apple device users to access iMessage. Some users have expressed their disappointment on Reddit, with one stating, “At this point, I would rather wait for Apple to support RCS.” However, others are welcoming the fix, saying “This is a great bandaid to stop the bleeding and let people use Beeper for its intended purpose – to integrate all message apps in one place.”
Of course, the future of this fix remains uncertain as Apple has continuously taken measures to block Beeper. It’s unsure how long this solution will remain operational once launched.
This development comes on the heels of a bipartisan group of US lawmakers requesting the Department of Justice to investigate Apple’s “potentially anticompetitive treatment” of Beeper, noting that “interoperability and interconnections have long been crucial factors in promoting competition and providing consumers with a choice of communication services.”
