iMessage for Android: Here's How Anyone With Android Can Get iMessage

From a 100,000 foot view of smartphones, Android and iPhones do the same thing. Both devices can text, make calls, access apps, and much more. One of the key differences between iPhone and Android is that Android can’t use iMessage. iMessage is Apple’s proprietary messaging system that works across Macs, iPhones, and iPads.

iMessage is end-to-end encrypted to secure the messages from the device they’re sent on through Apple’s servers, to the device that is receiving the message. Because the messages are encrypted, the iMessage network is only usable by devices that know how to decrypt the messages. This fact leaves out the possibility of iMessage for Android through the Google Play Store or side-loading it directly on your device without Apple’s help.

Why is iMessage Not Available on Android?

Apple’s business model is built on selling customers new devices year after year. The ideal Apple customer owns a Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch upgrades those devices every few years. Apple sells its devices at a premium, making a large percentage of its profits from those hardware purchases.

Consequently, Apple is also growing its services revenue. It derives most of its income for services today by placing Google as the default search engine on its devices, but it also takes 30% of every app sale and in-app purchase.

Unless Apple intends to offer iMessage at a cost to Android users to grow services revenue, it’s not likely that Apple will ever release iMessage on Android through the Google Play Store, but keep reading as we have some nice workarounds and alternatives.

Will Apple Ever Release iMessage for Android?

Tech writers have speculated for years if Apple will ever release their actual iMessage app on Android. There have been various hacks over the years to “trick” a Mac into relaying a message to an Android device, but these workarounds are scalable and are likely to break in the future.

iMessage is a crucial feature for Apple devices, and Apple is ultimately a hardware company. While they could change their mind in the future, Apple isn’t likely to release iMessage for Android.

Discover:

Team messanger for work and education

Benefits of iMessage: Why Should Android Users Care?

Android users can’t get a native iMessage experience, but they can get iMessages best features without switching to an iPhone. Let’s look at what the benefits of iMessage are:

• Fast
• Easy to use
• Supports group messaging
• Works excellent with GIFs and emoji
• Easy to send quick responses using tap backs
• Works on all your Apple devices
• Read receipts
• Supports iOS media library for photo/video sharing
• If you have an Apple ID, you are already signed up

The iMessage for Android Ultimate Workaround

What if we said that Spike checked all those boxes and is an iMessage for Android app alternative? With cross-platform support on iOS, Android, Mac, PC, and the web, Spike goes everywhere you go. Spike is the best group chat platform for business or personal use. It transforms complicated email chains into easy-to-follow conversations that can be separated by topic. It’s team chat without ever leaving your Inbox!

Are you planning a New Years’ Eve 2021 virtual party with some friends? Use Spike Groups, and get to planning. Are you kicking off a new website design project? Spike Groups is the perfect way to keep the project organized with messaging, Notes, file sharing, and real-time collaboration.
Since Spike works with your existing email account, no one has to sign up for a new service or learn a complicated messenger program. Best of all – Spike Groups is free for personal use. Even if someone doesn’t use Spike, they can still join the fun. Anyone with an email address can join the group and chat, hold live video meetings, send voice messages, and more.

Key aspects people want from a messenger platform is:

• Fast
• Free
• Easy to use
• Works on all devices
• Supports GIFs and emojis
• All your friends and colleagues already use it

Spike checks all the boxes as an iMessage replacement for Android. Let’s look further at Spike Groups to see why it’s a great group iMessage replacement.

Discover More:

• How to Leave a Group Chat on iPhone
• How to Know if Someone Blocked you on iMessage

iMessage vs Spike

Beeper for Android – A Sort-of Workaround

A new chat app is on the market that claims to make iMessage work on Android. It’s called Beeper App, and it requires a $10/mo subscription. It also requires one of two things to make it work (that we don’t recommend from a security perspective)

• You have to have a Mac running 24/7 that is running the Beeper App for Mac.
  • Since you’re looking for iMessage for Android, you probably don’t have a Mac.
• Beeper will send you a Jailbroken iPhone running their Beeper Bridge app. Since Apple won’t allow this app into the App Store, that’s the only option Beeper has to offer.
  • Using a Jailbroken iPhone can risk unauthorized access to your account.

Why Spike Groups is the Solution for an iMessage Experience on Android

iMessage groups can be hard to manage, but Spike Groups makes staying in touch a breeze. If Groups is getting too chatty during your workday, you can mute all notifications with a click of a button.

iMessage supports ‘Do Not Disturb’ for threads, but the badge still appears on your iPhone. Have you ever picked up your iPhone and noticed 75 unread iMessages? You either have a super active group or something big is happening. With Spike Groups, you can mute a group and check in on it when it’s convenient for you.

Another significant benefit of Spike Groups that makes it an excellent iMessage for Android alternative is Send Later. Do you ever have a time when you want to send a message to a group, but you know most people are still asleep, so you don’t want to wake them up?

Do you want to remind contacts in a group about a dinner reservation, but reminding them too early defeats the purpose? With Spike’s Send Later functionality, you cross that reminder off your to-do list but have that reminder arrive at just the right time for maximum effectiveness.

Download Spike for Android and PC to start enjoying the best iMessage alternative for Android today.