Apple disables Beeper Mini’s iMessage for Android – Find out why and what it means for Android users!

Apple Blocks Beeper Mini App for Android, Citing Security Risks

On Friday afternoon, Beeper Mini on Android stopped working. Apple confirmed today that it “took steps to protect our users by blocking techniques that exploit fake credentials in order to gain access to iMessage.”

Apple stated that Beeper Mini’s “techniques posed significant risks to user security and privacy.” The company’s first app, now called “Beeper Cloud,” worked by routing iMessage through a Mac. Earlier this week, it introduced Beeper Mini as a new Android app that exploits iMessage directly.

According to Apple, the new app connects directly to Apple’s service, which means users sign in through Apple directly, and messages and media are handed directly from the device to Apple without the involvement of Beeper servers.

Apple cited concerns about the potential for metadata exposure and enabling unwanted messages, spam, and phishing attacks. The company also expressed doubt about whether faux-“iMessages” sent through Beeper are only accessible by the intended sender and recipient or if they maintain end-to-end encryption.

As of Saturday morning, Beeper Cloud was re-enabled, but Beeper Mini remains down. The company is continuing to work on a fix. Beeper also deregistered Android phone numbers on behalf of its users and extended the 7-day free trial another week so that users aren’t billed while Beeper Mini is down.

Apple’s full statement emphasized the company’s commitment to protecting user privacy and security and mentioned future updates to protect users.

Beeper responded to Apple’s statement by asserting that Beeper Mini keeps messages private and boosts security compared to unencrypted SMS. The company offered to provide its entire source code to a mutually agreed-upon third party to evaluate the security of the app.

The situation is ongoing, and updates may follow as the story develops.