Elizabeth Warren, a US senator, questioned Apple’s closure of Beeper, an app that let Android users send iMessages on iPhone. Warren questioned why Apple restricted a competitor, claiming it protected profits by squashing competitors. Apple said it was fixing the issue and will keep updating its services.
US Senator Elizabeth Warren questioned Apple’s decision to shut down Beeper, an app that let Android users send iMessages to iPhones.
After Beeper Mini, an Android iMessage solution, was blocked, Apple said it protected users “by blocking techniques that exploit fake credentials to gain access to iMessage”.
The Massachusetts Democrat and antitrust reformer Elizabeth Warren asked the tech giant why they restricted a competitor.
She asked on X (formerly Twitter), “Green bubble texts are less secure. Why would Apple block a new app that lets Android users chat with iPhone users on iMessage?
She added, “Big Tech executives are protecting profits by squashing competitors. Chatting across platforms should be simple and secure.”
Users could send blue-bubble iMessages from any Android device using Beeper Mini.
The Verge reported that the app had technical issues recently, preventing users from sending and receiving blue bubble messages.
Beeper was working to keep its app running.
On Sunday, the team posted on X: “Work continues to fix the Beeper Mini outage issue. We’re sorry for the inconvenience, as we know this has been hard for Beeper Mini fans. However, we are feeling well and hope to share good news soon.”
Apple stated that “we build our products and services with industry-leading privacy and security technologies designed to give users control of their data and keep personal information safe”.
We blocked techniques that exploit fake credentials to access iMessage to protect our users, said a spokesperson.
Metadata exposure, unwanted messages, phishing attacks, and spam were all risks of these methods.
Apple promised, “We will continue to make updates in the future to protect our users.”
Conclusion
Elizabeth Warren, a US senator, questioned Apple’s closure of Beeper, an app that let Android users send iMessages on iPhone. Apple said it blocked Beeper Mini, an Android iMessage solution, to protect users from fake credentials. Warren questioned why Apple restricted a competitor, claiming green bubble texts are unsafe. Apple said they build their products and services with industry-leading privacy and security technologies to give users control over their data and keep personal information safe. Beeper’s team is working to keep its app running. Metadata exposure, unwanted messages, phishing attacks, and spam were major security and privacy risks for the company. Apple will keep updating to protect users.
