Sunbird looks like the perfect iMessage for Android app

How is that feasible? Sunbird says it is not working with any hacks or other shady procedures to pull it off. In its place, it’s seemingly utilizing formal APIs/logins. Sunbird shown this in the course of a recent virtual press briefing, with somebody opening the Sunbird application, tapping an iMessage icon, and entering their Apple ID e mail/password. Soon after publishing this details and confirming a two-aspect authentication (2FA) code, iMessage chats appeared on the Android cellphone.

iMessage conversations on Sunbird support one and group chats, typing indicators, concept reactions, and comprehensive-resolution photo and online video sharing. Browse receipts aren’t available quite nonetheless, but Sunbird designs to increase all those in January or February.

WhatsApp, Telegram, Sign, oh my

But it is not just iMessage that Sunbird supports. Sunbird desires its application to be your one-end store for all messaging on your Android telephone. The app also will work with WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, SMS texting, and its possess Sunbird-to-Sunbird messaging platform when two Sunbird consumers are chatting to each and every other. Down the road, Sunbird says it will increase other platforms like Telegram, Sign, Slack, Discord, Instagram DMs, LinkedIn messages, and even RCS support.

What is primarily appealing is that Sunbird maintains the indigenous end-to-conclude encryption devices for all of these platforms. If you’re talking by means of iMessage, your chats are backed by Apple’s indigenous E2EE for iMessage. If you’re making use of Sunbird for WhatsApp messages, those are secured by Meta’s own encryption for WhatsApp.

All of that appears terrific. But is any of this safe and sound? Sunbird undoubtedly promises it to be. For the duration of the press briefing, Sunbird consistently made it apparent that the application hardly ever saves your application login e-mails, passwords, or message material. At a single level, the organization claimed, “If we really don’t have the facts, it just cannot be breached.”

But having iMessage conversations just by logging into your Apple ID? That’s in which I remain skeptical. Apple does not have an formal API that allows you accessibility iMessage in a world-wide-web browser. If that had been the circumstance, we’d have dozens of Android and Windows apps accomplishing that!

By design and style, iMessage requires your Apple account to be logged into an Apple system — be that an Apple iphone, iPad, or Mac. Sunbird hasn’t precisely manufactured it clear how it is relaying your iMessage discussions applying almost nothing but your Apple account info, and that is something I’d like to see stated quicker fairly than later on.

Having said that, the principle of Sunbird is nevertheless fascinating, and it’s one particular you can check out now if you feel so inclined. Sunbird is launching its closed beta on December 2 and will step by step take 50,000 users above the next six months.