Feb 25
Sunbird Messaging Could Be A Game Changer
Are you looking for a way to get iMessage on Android? A while back I talked about Beeper, an app that lets users access iMessage on Android.
Well, there is a new contender throwing its hat in the ring now. The company is called SunBird. And there is one major reason why it could be better. Here’s how.
Currently In Testing
When I talked about Beeper the beta had been out for a while. Which meant the signup form had also been available for a time. So, I’m raising awareness of Sunbird Messaging quicker than I did beeper.
You can click here to join the waitlist if interested. Now with that out of the way let us look at what SunBird Messaging is. And how it can be better than Beeper.
A Messaging Hub That Brings iMessage To Android
Similar to Beeper, Sunbird is a hub for messaging apps like iMessage, SMS, WhatsApp, and Facebook.
Currently, these are the only messaging platforms Sunbird allows users to connect to. More will be added in the future according to the company’s website.
Like Beeper though, the app promises privacy by not storing your personal data on its servers. In addition, messages sent from Sunbird are end-to-end encrypted.
This is a huge win since Android to iPhone messages are regular unencrypted SMS. So when this is released to the public, users instantly get a boost to security when messaging iPhone users.
So, this all sounds good and all. It also may sound familiar to anyone who paid attention to or uses Beeper. So what is the difference?
So, plenty of messaging hubs can allow sending and receiving iMessages. However, they require access to an Apple device to act as a bridge.
iMessage only works on Apple devices. Because of this other platforms use an Apple device to log into iMessage and then connect it to their respective hub.
Beeper, for example, allows you to use your own Mac as the iMessage server. Or, they have Mac Minis which are secure they let users use them as a bridge.
No Apple Device Needed
However, this may concern some people since it is not their own Mac. But, Beeper does offer end-to-end encryption.
Sunbird is saying that an Apple device is not needed to get iMessage on Android. No middleman is needed.
Now the website doesn’t explain how this is done. Which is no surprise. Don’t want anybody taking their idea to get iMessage on Android.
The company’s website does mention that the setup process is simple and will take under 60 seconds.
The fact that Sunbird doesn’t use Apple devices is the biggest difference from other offerings.
Depending on how well their approach works Sunbird may be the de facto option for getting iMessage on Android.
Android Only
One difference I do not like is the lack of an iOS App. This makes sense since iMessage is already on the iPhone and iPad.
But, Sunbird is also a messaging hub. Wrangling together different services into one. I love using Beeper on my iPhone for this reason.
I have my work Slack, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and Instagram Messages all linked. This offers a level of convenience for anybody using Beeper.
So that’s the basis of Sunbird. As mentioned earlier, the waiting list is available to join now. As usual, the quicker you signup the quicker you can try this out.
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