Beeper Mini was released last week on December 5 to allow Android users to access Apple’s iMessage service for a small monthly fee. However, days after its launch, Apple blocked the service citing privacy and security concerns. Beeper claimed that its service is secure and eases communication between Android and iPhone users. The firm also said that they were working to restore services as soon as possible. Beeper has revealed that its services have now resumed, although it comes with some considerable changes.
In a blog post on Monday, December 11, Beeper announced that its services were restored. However, Beeper Mini users will now be required to log in using an Apple ID since phone number registration is unavailable. The platform said that it had deregistered all phone numbers and all messages would be sent and received via the email address used in the user’s Apple ID.
Given the chaos that resulted in the inconsistency of service, the team at Beeper said that for now, Beeper Mini will be free to use. They noted that once things stabilise, they aim to return to subscription mode. Notably, the service launched initially at a fee of $1.99 (roughly Rs. 160) per month. The latest update is currently available for download on the Google Play Store. If users face issues while logging in with two-factor authentication, they are urged to uninstall and reinstall the application.
In the post, Beeper also denied Apple’s allegations that the Beeper Mini services lacked security. The company reiterated that their services are local, end-to-end encrypted and if Apple agrees, they would willingly share their entire source code for security evaluation with mutually agreed upon third parties.
After blocking its services, Apple claimed that it took necessary steps to protect its users as the techniques (used by Beeper) “posed significant risks to user security and privacy” and that it exploited “fake credentials.”