Android users who are tired of feeling left out of the “blue bubble club” when texting their iPhone friends can finally join in, as a new app allows Android phones like the Samsung Galaxy S23 to finally send blue bubbles to their iOS-owning friends.
The app, Beeper Mini, is available on Google Play and brings iMessage support to Android. As noted on Beeper’s website, Beep Mini connects directly to Apple servers to send and receive end-to-end encrypted messages. It’s a big change from Beeper’s previous universal iMessage app, where it used a Mac relay server in the cloud to send iMessages.
As shown in the screenshot below, Beeper Mini is replicating the iMessage experience for an Android phone, allowing these users to take advantage of iMessage-centric features like reacting to messages; full-size, high-resolution photos and videos; and, of course, your Android phone number gets the blue bubble.
It’s not the first app to make this attempt; Nothing announced its own take a few weeks back called Nothing Chats. However, unlike Nothing’s product, which only works exclusively for the Nothing 2 smartphone, Beeper Mini works with any Android smartphone.
Plus, Beeper Mini does not require an Apple ID account to use the service — signing in with your Apple ID is optional. In contrast, Nothing Chats stores the user’s iCloud login credentials as a token for the app to function.
However, it is important to note that Beeper Mini does come at a cost: after the 7-day free trial, users will have to pay a monthly subscription of $1.99 to continue using Beeper Mini. “Our business model is simple – we build a great app and earn money from those who find value in it,” Beeper explains in its Beeper Mini FAQs section. “We feel that this business model aligns our success with your goals. No ads. Complete data security and privacy. Plus, we’re incentivized to continue improving the app with new features and improvements.”
Beeper Mini comes at an interesting time, as Apple has finally announced that it will support Rich Communication Services (RCS) on its iPhones beginning next year. Apple has not gone into full detail about how it will support RCS other than it would not be “opening up iMessage to other platforms,” and RCS messages will remain green bubbles.
Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.
Alex Mitchell is your go-to expert for all things mobile. With a passion for the latest smartphones, apps, and mobile innovations, Alex provides in-depth reviews, insightful analyses, and breaking news about the ever-evolving world of mobile technology. Stay connected with Alex to navigate the fast-paced realm of mobile devices.
