Sunbird Messaging has made its application, which offers an iMessage experience to Android users, available again on the Google Play Store. Having completed its early access testing phase, the application is now ready for widespread use.

The application allows Android users to use blue bubbles instead of the standard green bubbles in their conversations with iPhone owners. The software combines iMessage, RCS, and SMS/MMS messaging protocols in a single interface.

A Security-Focused Restart

Sunbird remained on the market from the end of 2022 to the end of 2023 but was forced to cease operations due to serious security concerns. At that time, it was revealed that the application sent Apple ID credentials to servers unencrypted, and that message content was accessible to company employees.

The application, which returned in April 2024 with a beta version accessible only by invitation, has now become publicly available. The company emphasizes that in the new version, messages are encrypted on the device and during transmission, and are not stored on Sunbird servers.

Users need an Apple ID account to use the application. The company states that Apple ID passwords are only used during session login and are subsequently destroyed.

Changing Needs and Subscription Model

Features such as typing indicators, read receipts, and high-quality media sharing, which the application offered when it was first released, have now become standard thanks to Apple’s RCS support. Therefore, Sunbird promises its users a fundamentally different bubble color experience in its current version.

Using iMessage via Sunbird does not require phone number registration, and users appear to contacts in their address book via email. The app offers Android users a 14-day free trial.

After the trial period, users who wish to continue using the service will have to pay a monthly subscription of $2.99 ​​or an annual subscription of $24.99. Would you consider using this app just for blue bubbles during a period when Apple offers RCS support?