That Was Quick: Apple Hastily Kills iMessage on Android Via Beeper Mini

RIP good sir, Beeper Mini indeed. It took less than one week for Apple to kill off the Beeper Mini service that brought the goodness of iMessage to Android users. Why do you despise us, Apple?

If you’re curious how Beeper Mini was working, feel free to read our announcement post, but as it stands, it doesn’t really matter anymore. It’s dead. Speaking to TechCrunch, Beeper’s CEO Eric Migicovsky was asked if Apple had found a way to cut off Beeper Mini’s ability to work. Putting it real simply he said, “Yes, all data indicates that.”

For those who were using the service, unless the Beeper team can find a workaround to get the service up and running again, it’s not looking good. If a fix is found, the issue then becomes, won’t Apple just kill it again? Interestingly, Migicovsky argues that not only was Beeper Mini good for Android users, but very beneficial for iPhone users, too, as any texts sent to Android users are unencrypted.

That means that anytime you text your Android friends, anyone can read the message. Apple can read the message. Your phone carrier can read the message. Google… literally, it’s just like a postcard. Anyone can read it. So Beeper Mini actually increases the security of iPhones.

Options are being weighed by the Beeper team. If we learn more, we’ll keep you posted.

// TechCrunch