Show HN: Beeper Mini – iMessage client for Android

Post by nebula8804 » Tue, Dec 05, 2023, 7:44 PM UTC

afavour wrote: post #324

chipgap98 wrote: post #314

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I saw an article on the topic where the reporter spoke with Beeper's CEO, Eric Migicovsky. He seems to believe that blocking Beeper might cause problems for legitimate Apple user's. Obviously that outcome is something he wants, but I still think its interesting. [0]: https://www.theverge.com/2023/12/5/23987817/beeper-mini-imes...

That would make sense: because Apple have deeply coupled iMessage to the OS they can’t simply roll out a new version of the app with protocol changes that would block Beeper, they’d have to release entire OS updates. No matter the method it would be a scorched earth approach. I suspect the number of people actually using Beeper will be far below a rounding error for Apple.

Post by stevefeinstein » Tue, Dec 05, 2023, 7:45 PM UTC

WisNorCan wrote: post #236

InTheArena wrote: post #113

Its awesome to reverse engineer this... but.. At the end of the day, this product is taking money for using Apple Services with no recompense to Apple. It won't last. Apple should have added an iMessage client to Android (and charged for it) long, long, long ago, but it doesn't change the ethics problem here. (This is the downside to the "just pay for it with hardware" model people always love rather than paying subs…

Agree. We have seen this before. What if someone reverse engineered Twitter's services and built a separate client and tried to monetize it. What would Twitter do? What if someone reverse engineered Reddit's services and built a separate client and tried to monetize it. What would Reddit do? What if someone reverse engineered Instagram's services and built a separate client and tried to monetize it. What would Instag…

Post by ixwt » Tue, Dec 05, 2023, 7:46 PM UTC

0x0 wrote: post #323

ixwt wrote: post #295

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only way I could see this happening is if they have all of the public keys of the secure cryptographic elements in a database of all Apple devices ever created. Because otherwise, it would just be trivial to emulate a "secure cryptographic element" if it's just a public/private key. They aren't running a client by Apple. A glance at other posts seems they are using Apple code, but that would just be a matter of r…

I wouldn't be surprised if they in fact do have a list of serial numbers for all the mac, ios, tvos devices they have ever sold, linked with some corresponding device-unique public key data?

Post by afavour » Tue, Dec 05, 2023, 7:47 PM UTC

nebula8804 wrote: post #332

afavour wrote: post #324

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That would make sense: because Apple have deeply coupled iMessage to the OS they can’t simply roll out a new version of the app with protocol changes that would block Beeper, they’d have to release entire OS updates. No matter the method it would be a scorched earth approach. I suspect the number of people actually using Beeper will be far below a rounding error for Apple.

Uptake for OS updates is very high on iOS though right? I heard a while back that it is like 90+% in 6 months. (could be totally wrong on that can someone confirm?)

Post by klardotsh » Tue, Dec 05, 2023, 7:47 PM UTC

ronyeh wrote: post #327

This is a wonderful project. It highlights how silly Apple is. For those defending the existence of green bubbles, why don’t we swap blue with green then? Would you be okay with all your iMessages in that ugly green while your SMSes with Android friends are in calming blue? I am typing this on an iPhone 15 pro max and I have several MacBook pros (M3 Max on the way) and everyone in my family has their own iPad. I hate…