Newsletter
Beeper Mini launched today, and it’s genuinely game-changing. Over the years, we’ve all seen many approaches to bringing iMessage to Android. It’s even more game-changing when you realize how this was done, which included a 16-year-old reverse-engineering Apple’s iMessage service. And now you can have iMessage on Android without even logging in to your Apple ID.
Given how many US teenagers are bullied over what phone they use, and many are chastised for using Android because of the green bubbles that appear on their friends’ iPhones, this is a really good feature to have.
So, how can you set up Beeper Mini to get iMessage support on Android? Well, it’s pretty simple, but here’s the process.
How to Setup Beeper Mini
First, you must download the Beeper Mini app from the Google Play Store.
On the app’s main screen, it touts the iMessage capability and a few other features like end-to-end encryption. Just tap on the “Continue with Google” button at the bottom to get started.
You will need to log in to your Google account, which is done through Google’s servers. So it’s not shady like the other iMessage on Android approaches.
Once you log in, it’ll bring you to the free trial page. You can use Beeper Mini for free for seven days, then it’ll cost you $1.99 per month. That’s a pretty low price for iMessage on Android, and lower than what many have said they’d pay for an iMessage on Android app.
Next, you must give the Beeper Mini app permission for SMS and your contacts. These permissions are necessary to get these iMessages.
It’ll take a minute to connect to iMessage. What is happening here is that Beeper Mini is contacting Apple’s servers to set up your service.
Now, you can adjust your profile. This includes your picture and name, which it does take from your Google account. But you can also change to a Beeper Mini logo in various colors.
Finally, you will get a confirmation screen that you are all set up, including your phone number, which is now on iMessage.
From now on, you can get iMessages from those with iPhones – or other Beeper Mini users. They have to message you from an iPhone at that phone number, and you will get an iMessage. You are making it simple across the board.
What iMessage features are available with Beeper Mini?
There are quite a few features available with Beeper Mini that you’d find on an iPhone, which is incredibly impressive. Reactions work just as they would on an iPhone-to-iPhone iMessage. You also can unsend messages, send high-resolution photos and videos, and more. This is like having an iPhone that happens to run Android. And honestly, I really like the Beeper Mini app, even more so than Apple’s own iMessage app. It works so well; it’s fast and looks great.
A few iMessage features are unavailable at launch; these include live location sharing, message effects, and Facetime. Most of which likely won’t work anytime soon, either. While Message effects do not work, reactions do.
You never log in with your Apple ID!
The most important aspect of this whole thing is that you never log into Beeper Mini with your Apple ID. Previous implementations of iMessage on Android included forcing users to log into their Apple ID, which was logged in on a Mac Mini in a server room somewhere. The user could not access it, which is honestly very scary.
However, I never needed to sign into my Apple ID with Beeper Mini. It never mentions anything about your Apple ID, which is perhaps the most impressive thing here.
As mentioned, Beeper Mini is essentially pinging Apple’s servers straight from your Android phone. So it has eliminated that extra step that forced users to sign in with their Apple ID. It’s impressive, and we’ll have to see how long Apple lets it stay alive.