Beeper’s chat app is now obtainable to everybody

Immediately is a giant day for Beeper, the common chat app first announced again in 2021. The corporate has confirmed that it has been acquired by Automattic, creator of WordPress. Beeper has additionally introduced the final availability of its new app throughout all main platforms, which till now has been in beta testing beneath the Beeper Cloud identify.

“Given the state of the messaging world, we’ve lengthy felt the necessity for a powerful ally with the sources to help us on our quest. Automattic has a protracted historical past of placing person management and privateness first with open-source, and nice bilateral relationships with Meta, Apple, Microsoft, Google, Matrix and others that we hope can usher in a brand new period of collaboration,” Beeper CEO Eric Migicovsky stated in a press launch.

The brand new Beeper app’s declare to fame is its promise of integrating messages from throughout 14 completely different chat apps. It serves as a common messaging inbox, and it is constructed on the open-source chat protocol often known as Matrix.

Picture from Beeper

Beeper leaves beta

With 466,000 customers getting entry, in the present day

The app till now has been in beta testing, with the corporate confirming a wait checklist of 466,000 customers. With it reaching normal availability, anybody can now check out the app totally free. An optionally available paid subscription might be obtainable down the highway that gives further perks, in response to Beeper.

By becoming a member of forces with Automattic, which has its hand in WordPress, WooCommerce, Pocket Casts and extra, each events have the acknowledged aligned aim of ‘constructing the most effective chat app on earth.’ All the Beeper group might be migrated over to Automattic, however will proceed to function as an unbiased entity. Beeper CEO Migicovsky will assume the title of Automattic Head of Messaging beneath this new construction.

“It’ll take a little bit of time for us to combine and mix forces beneath the Beeper model. We’ve received large plans! I’m actually enthusiastic about the way forward for chat,” says Migicovsky.

Pocket-lint

Beeper, reborn

It is come full circle

Beeper first got here into the general public eye with the launch of its Beeper Mini app in late 2023. The app was profitable in bringing Apple’s iMessage service to Android customers, which stoked a fierce back-and-forth between each firms.

The service was short-lived, with Beeper lastly dropping by the wayside in late January. The place Apple could have received the battle, it may be argued that Beeper has received the struggle — having undoubtedly contributed to the mounting antitrust pressure Apple is at the moment embroiled in.

Whereas the brand new Beeper app would not boast iMessage help, it may not matter that a lot. The attract of a common messaging inbox, in addition to the promise of placing an finish to the fixed juggling of texting apps, is a potent power if there’s ever been one.

The kindling has already been laid, and the brand new Beeper app may simply be the spark that ushers in a brand new period of messaging. That is the hope, at the least. The brand new app is on the market to obtain on Beeper’s website, and is appropriate throughout iOS, MacOS, Home windows, Android, ChromeOS, and Linux.

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