Beeper Mini: Chat With iPhones - Apps on Google Play
play.google.com
Finally, get blue bubbles on Android!

So there is this app claiming on-device iMessage functionality on Android. Seems cool but only has subscription based pricing. Does anyone know of a way to circumvent this?

Edit: I found this but it seems a bit dodgy

  • cm0002@lemmy.worldEnglish
    252·
    2 years ago

    Iirc the entire app is open-source, you can prob strip out the subscription parts and build it yourself

    The original work/PoC they based it off of is PyPush and that definitely has a GitHub here: https://github.com/JJTech0130/pypush

    If you can’t/don’t do the work, you’ll have to wait, something will come along eventually but that app just came out the other day

      • cm0002@lemmy.worldEnglish
        11·
        2 years ago

        Yea I know it’s a PoC, It’s work, but not that much work…if you have the skill set lol

        I was actually digging into JJTechs project a bit, I’m planning on building something of my own, but my version is going to try to tap into Androids messaging service instead so that I can use any SMS app I wish.

        The idea being my service will be a translation layer of sorts instead of an independent app that I have to switch too.

  • Jeena@jemmy.jeena.netEnglish
    132·
    2 years ago

    The only person I know who has an iPhone is my fiance and we use Matrix to communicate or Signal as a fallback if I fuck up the Matrix server. So this app is not really for me.

    I really wonder how long it will take Apple to just be able to detect and block it.

    • Estebiu@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      6·
      2 years ago

      They can’t block it, as it’s using the standard imessage way. They could change the way iMessage works, but that would break iMessage support on older iOS devices that no longer are supported.

      • ColeSloth@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
        1·
        2 years ago

        They’ll probably find a way of authenticating that a phone number is using an iPhone, or start requiring an extra step when a number tries registering for use on its servers.

      • Pyro@lemmy.worldEnglish
        12·
        2 years ago

        that would break iMessage support on older iOS devices that no longer are supported

        Yes, that’s what “no longer supported” means.

        • XyliaSky@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          11·
          2 years ago

          In this context “no longer supported” just means “no longer receiving active development support”. Not “doesn’t work with the service”.

          So actually no, that’s not what “no longer supported” means here, at all.

    • InternationalBastard@lemmy.worldEnglish
      33·
      2 years ago

      I had always dreamed of visiting California, the land of sun, surf and celebrities. So when I got the chance to go there for a week, I was over the moon. I packed my bags, grabbed my camera and boarded the plane.

      I spent the first day in Los Angeles, where I saw the Hollywood sign, walked along the Walk of Fame and took a tour of the Universal Studios. I felt like I was in a movie. The next day, I drove to San Francisco, where I crossed the Golden Gate Bridge, visited the Alcatraz Island and rode a cable car. I was amazed by the diversity and culture of the city.

      The rest of the week, I explored the natural beauty of California. I hiked in the Yosemite National Park, where I saw waterfalls, mountains and wildlife. I camped in the Sequoia National Park, where I marveled at the giant trees. I surfed in the Malibu Beach, where I enjoyed the waves and the sun.

      It was the best vacation of my life. I took hundreds of photos and videos to capture every moment. But there was one problem: I didn’t own an iPhone. So I couldn’t share them with anyone.

  • Imgonnatrythis@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    41·
    2 years ago

    Even a trial of this REQUIRES them to have billing info on file. Likely Apple is going to shut this down within a few months. If they don’t, I imagine some better options may emerge.

  • daisyKutter@lemmy.mlEnglish
    56·
    2 years ago

    I definetely wouldn’t trust that link; Beeper mini functionality requires you to conect to their servers for registration, initial handshake and push notifications so I don’t think there is a way to avoid a subscription

    Edit for clarity: I wouldn’t trust the apk you linked in your edit, not the original Beeper mini app in the play store

    • Pons_Aelius@kbin.social
      112·
      2 years ago

      No. That is beeper.

      Beeper mini is a stand alone app that was acquired by beeper that does not do the MITM shit.

      See the comment by @cm0002 for details.

      Still don’t think it is a good idea. As another comment stated I expected apple to block it in the near future.

      • daisyKutter@lemmy.mlEnglish
        51·
        2 years ago

        They do use their infrastructure to connect to Apple Notification Service servers when the app is not used, they do act as a Man In The Middle but in a secure, concise manner (not in a sketchy way). And they conect to their servers for registration and subscription status. You can read a more in depth explanation on their blog

        https://blog.beeper.com/p/how-beeper-mini-works

        Besides all that I’m not sure if someone who wants to create it’s own implementation of all of this can do it without any apple device; reading jjtech technical explanation (https://jjtech.dev/reverse-engineering/imessage-explained/) where he explains pypush he mentions the obfuscation process for registering a device to apple servers, here is where pypush somehow manages to convince Apple that the machine is genuine, there is a mention there to some serial identifier stored on a file called data.plist, if someone wants to implement this proof of concept would need to give another serial identifier?