How badly do you want to be a part of the blue bubble brigade? If you’re willing to risk your phone and data’s security, Sunbird Messaging, the app that lets Android users participate in iMessage chats is back.
Sunbird is available in the Google Play Store once again. The app was announced at the end of 2022 as a way for Android users to message iPhone users without what it said was the stigma of green bubbles.
Fighting the battle of the bubbles
It received a lot of attention and had a long waiting list, in part because there are some people on each side of the OS divide who seek sameness.
“Bullying is a serious topic that seems to impact Android users of all ages, from teens to adults,” Sunbird CEO Danny Mizrahi said in a press release in April 2023. “I think we can all agree that bullies suck, and if Sunbird can eliminate bullying behaviors to help make the world better, then we are all for it.”
A history of security concerns
That same press release touted the app’s security and privacy features. However a few months later, the app disappeared from the Google Play Store when vulnerabilities in its system were discovered. It reappeared in beta in 2024, but then nothing was heard about it until today.
While today’s announcement held no information about what happened at Sunbird between 2024 to now, something very big did happen with iMessage compatibility with Android that year. Apple added RCS support on iPhones.
Capitalizing on shortfalls
This greatly improved cross-platform functionality. While the experience hasn’t been perfect, it’s been steadily improving.
Sunbird now sees an opportunity to capitalize on those shortfalls, with Mizrahi saying, “Reactions, replies, and iMessage’s group features still often fail when an Android phone is in the chat, and Android messages still arrive as green bubbles.”
And the company has not let go of the idea that some Android users still seek to blend in with their iOS brethren, saying “Sunbird users appear with full blue bubbles on iPhones.”
Pricing and risks
The relaunched Sunbird does not have a waiting list. It’s on the Google Play Store now for $2.99 a month, or $24.99 a year.
Time will tell how secure Sunbird is, but involving yet another party in your messaging remains a risk.