Sunbird iMessage for Android Returns After Shutting Down Due to Security Issues

Sunbird is returning to bring iMessage to Android after the company shut down its services due to security issues.

The last time it was available, the company partnered with Nothing for the service known as 'Nothing Chats,' another iMessage for Android service that promised blue bubbles but faced massive security issues.

Sunbird iMessage for Android Returns Soon

The company promises that the experience will be returned soon for all to enjoy.

According to their latest press release, they will start with a beta release for everyone to try, which already features several fixes, enhancements, and improvements compared to its initial run.

From its earlier AV1 iMessage architecture, the company has developed its better and new take on this implementation, the AV2. It is now focused on improving user privacy and uses an MQTTS message broker, an OASIS standard for secure messaging.

Sunbird promises that when the decrypted message is passed to the iMessage and RCS/Google Messages Network, it will only exist in memory for a brief time.

Sunbird's Shut Down and Security Issues

In 2022, Sunbird was among the first to bring iMessage for Android and promised this experience for all, after which it was made partner by Nothing Chats to bring the same experience for its app.

However, many security issues were found, including privacy problems wherein the messages were stored in the Firebase Database, unencrypted HTTP API Calls, and more.

Now, the company is looking to fix all this, make it more secure, and roll it out gradually to users who have signed up (with the waitlist still open for those who want to join it via this link), with Sunbird sending out invitations to accepted ones.

iMessage for Android's Interconnectivity

Last year, there came a massive wave of companies looking to bring the iMessage service for Android, and this was amidst the sparking conversations regarding Apple's reluctance to adopt RCS.

Among the many companies to do this, the first was Sunbird, followed by Nothing Chats via a partnership with them, initially exclusive to the Nothing Phone (2) and requires an Apple ID login.

It was later followed by a service that was widely used in the world, with Beeper introducing the Beeper Mini app to deliver the coveted iMessage for Android service.

However, this experience saw significant issues along the way, one of which was that customers found it hard to connect to the service because Apple ceased their services, with an off-and-on again status until it shut down operations.

Sunbird and Beeper were two companies that attempted to bring iMessage interconnectivity to Android, and while the intent was there, several problems came along the way.

Now, Sunbird is back for round two, and this came after Apple's RCS adoption decision that would soon bring iMessage to Android. Sunbird is looking to roll it out slowly this time.