Sunbird is making another attempt to bring iMessage to Android, nearly three years after security concerns forced the service offline.
The company has announced that its messaging app is now available to everyone on the Google Play Store as an open beta. Moreover, it promises a rebuilt platform with stronger security and a more polished user experience.
The app aims to bridge one of the longest-running divides in mobile messaging by giving Android users access to Apple’s iMessage network. Using a user’s Apple ID, Sunbird relays iMessages through its own system. In addition, it supports RCS messaging, creating a single inbox for conversations across both platforms.
The latest release also introduces a handful of new features. A redesigned Priority Inbox separates conversations into primary and secondary tabs, helping users keep important chats organised. Sunbird says it has also spent the past few years rebuilding its backend. This work was done after remaining in a lengthy private beta following its abrupt shutdown in 2023.
That earlier closure followed significant security concerns about the technology powering the service. Sunbird was also behind Nothing Chats, the iMessage integration launched by Nothing in late 2023. However, it was quickly pulled after researchers discovered vulnerabilities that exposed hundreds of thousands of media files.
The company says those issues have now been addressed. According to Sunbird, messages are encrypted on users’ devices, while in transit and at rest. In the end, conversations ultimately benefit from Apple’s own end-to-end encryption once they reach iMessage recipients.
However, the company still acknowledges that media files temporarily pass through its infrastructure. Its security documentation states that any photos or videos sent through the platform are automatically deleted within 48 hours. If not, they are deleted no later than 72 hours. Meanwhile, it also emphasises that conversations themselves are not stored on its servers.
Those assurances are likely to face close scrutiny given the platform’s history. Because Sunbird relies on users signing in with their Apple ID and routing messages through its own systems, it inevitably requires a higher level of trust. This is different from Apple’s native messaging service.
For Android users determined to get blue bubbles without carrying an iPhone, Sunbird is once again an option. But given its past security issues, it may be worth approaching the service with a degree of caution until it has had more time to prove that its rebuilt platform lives up to its security claims.
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