Beeper tweeted today that it is giving up its fight to bring iMessage to Android. Although Beeper just announced another fix that will let Android users send iMessages from its messaging app, it announced that it will stop looking for workarounds and instead focus on its "long-term goal of building the best chat app on the planet."
"Every time BeeperMini 'goes down' or becomes unreliable due to interference from Apple, Beeper's credibility takes a hit. This is unsustainable," Beeper wrote. "As much as we want to fight for fantastic products that we think really should exist, the reality is that we can't win in a cat-and-mouse game with the biggest companies on the planet."
What started as a simple helper app for Beeper users has grown increasingly complex, and its latest solution appears to be its most desperate attempt yet: Beeper wants users to own or rent a jailbroken iPhone and also own a Mac or Linux computer. Users simply follow Beeper's steps to receive an iMessage registration code and start using the app—the only catch is that they need to keep their iPhone plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi.
If you don't have an old iPhone or don't want to buy one, Beeper recommends renting one for "a few dollars a month." The company said it would offer its own rental service next year "if there is sufficient interest."
However, if Apple responds by blocking Beeper's latest method, Beeper said, "If this solution is eliminated, there is currently no response plan." Beeper has also responded to criticism that the app is "insecure" by open-sourcing its iMessage bridge, allowing users to inspect the code or build other solutions with it. Additionally, Beeper has released Mac and iPhone apps for generating iMessage registration codes.
Beeper says it believes Apple can "tolerate" this latest update, but given Apple's previously uncooperative attitude toward Beeper, we'll just have to wait and see.
Beeper still believes it has the moral high ground, writing: "At this stage, Apple's actions to block Beeper Mini are looking increasingly unjustifiable. Their only remaining potential justification is that if iMessage is available on Android, their revenue from selling iPhones may be reduced."
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