If you use an Android phone, you should probably know that your texts to iPhone users appear in green bubbles.
Not only that, the pictures sent over text get altered to the point where you can count the individual pixels. However, if you’re sending the same texts over iMessage on an iPhone, the reverse is always the case.
It’s no wonder Android users with iPhone-using friends always seek a way to use iMessage on Android.
Most of the known iMessage on Android solutions will require a working mac to act as a server. However, can you use iMessage on Android without a mac?
In this post, I’ll explore the possibility of using iMessage on Android without a mac.
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What is iMessage?
iMessage is Apple’s messaging solution for iOS devices, Apple’s response to similar instant messaging apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Telegram, and Signal.
It packs a lot of features that don’t traditionally come with SMS apps. You can send voice notes, get read receipts, share stickers and GIFs, and even send money with Apple Pay.
However, there’s a catch. All of those cool iMessage features only work when the sender and the recipient of a message use an iPhone, a Mac, an iPad, or an iPod Touch.
Since iMessage isn’t available on Android phones, messages to Android users are sent as regular SMS messages, effectively stripping them off of the iMessage features.
While Android users have waited forever for Apple to bring their instant messaging breakthrough to the already-popular smartphone platform, it seems Apple isn’t ready to budge.
That explains why people seek ways to use iMessage on Android.
If you have a mac, then this operation is a piece of cake. For the 1 billion others that use Windows PCs, can they possibly get iMessage without a mac?
How to Use iMessage on Android Without a Mac?
Is it possible to use iMessage on Android without a mac? Yes, but it’s a complicated process.
You can use iMessage on your Android devices using the Beeper app. The Beeper app brings all your favorite instant messaging apps together, so you don’t have to switch between apps to send and receive your digital messages.
While it wasn’t so hard to integrate popular instant messaging apps like Telegram and Facebook Messenger, iMessage is a different story.
As you can already tell, iMessage requires Apple hardware to work. If you don’t own a Mac, an iPad, or an iPhone, you don’t stand any chance of getting to use iMessage.
The question on everyone’s mind at the moment will be: how did Beeper get around this requirement?
The answer is simple: they didn’t get around the requirement. Instead of trying complicated hacks to bring iMessage to unsupported platforms, they decided to play by Apple’s rules.
What Beeper does, essentially, is that they ship an old, jailbroken iPhone to every user. The iPhone acts in place of a mac, acting as a server for iMessage to run on Android.
For users that own a mac, and are willing to leave it on 24/7, the mac can act in place of the iPhone to bring iMessage to Android.
However, Beeper isn’t still a widely available app. To access the app, you must join the early access beta and probably stay on a waitlist for a couple of weeks before enjoying the experience.
The Beeper app isn’t free. To use Beeper, you’ll need to pay a $10 monthly subscription. That isn’t surprising when you consider that this company ships free iPhones to its customers.
Note that Beeper won’t ship you an iPhone 12 Pro. Most probably, you’ll get the oldest iPhone possible that works with iMessage. In a tweet by the CEO, he claimed to have 50 iPhone 4s sitting at his desk, so you’re probably getting an iPhone 4.
And there you have it. If you’re willing to pay $10 per month for your quest, you can get iMessage working on your Android phone without ever touching a mac.
However, that gives you the responsibility of charging an extra smartphone that you don’t even use.
If all of this sounds like a drag, that’s because it is. Given that there are better and even more secure messaging apps than iMessage, you may want to try out an alternative.
Alternatives to iMessage on Android That Don’t Require Macs
If you’ll like to try out some Android messaging apps that are comparable to iMessage, here are some suggestions.
- Messages
Messages are Google’s official messaging app for Android. It is the default messaging solution for the Google Pixel and other select Android phones.
Using Google Messages on an RCS-enabled smartphone enables many features of iMessage. However, many phones don’t support RCS, making it a less favorable option.
- WhatsApp Messenger
WhatsApp Messenger is Facebook’s iMessage competitor. It is the largest instant messaging platform by a large margin, and iMessage doesn’t even come close. What’s more, it supports end-to-end encryption, rivaling iMessage on security.
It is simple, supports voice notes, GIFs, disappearing messages, and videos. Overall, it’s a compelling alternative to iMessage for Android users.
- Telegram
Telegram is similar to WhatsApp but without end-to-end encryption. It is a less private solution overall, but it boasts industry-standard security solutions.
Telegram supports groups with up to 200,000 members and channels with unlimited subscribers. If you want an iMessage alternative with a community focus, Telegram is the way to go.
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Conclusion
Yes, you can use iMessage on Android without a mac, but it isn’t as simple as you think. If you’re lucky enough, you can get beta access to Beeper, get an iPhone shipped to you, and access iMessage without a mac.
If you’re looking for the magic app you can install from Playstore to get magic access to iMessage without going through much trouble, keep looking.
If you’re open to alternatives, you can use WhatsApp, Messages, or Telegram to get a near iMessage experience.