After Sunbird shut down its iMessage app for Android due to security issues, the company says the app is now available in beta, as this is a “culmination of comprehensive enhancements to Sunbird’s backend infrastructure following an exhaustive evaluation, a process detailed in a recent update on the company’s website.”
There, the company explained the app’s many flaws, culminating in the leak of users’ data. The developers said they could have reinstated the apps in just a few weeks. Still, they decided to wait longer and fix these flaws to “reflect our dedication to not just resolving the immediate issues at hand but also to ensuring that we uphold the highest standards of security and privacy for our community in the long term.”
With that, they named several technical changes they made to Sunbird’s iMessage architecture, including RCS and more secure architecture. But once it’s available, should you use it? Probably not.
Sunbird might have fixed its issues, but do we need an iMessage app for Android now?
Since Sunbird was shut down and is now about to be brought over again, Apple committed to adopting the RCS format. Even though some exclusive iMessage features will continue there for iPhone users, this means iPhone and Android users won’t have issues while texting each other, such as sending files, high-quality images, GIFs, or even creating groups.
With RCS support coming later this year and Sunbird still waiting a few more months for a full release, I think the app lost its timing, even though it might have resolved its security issues.
After all, if people wanted to improve their messaging capabilities with other operating systems, they would use WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. By choosing built-in SMS over other apps, I believe Apple’s adoption of the RCS standard will be more than enough to simplify people’s lives.
If you want an iMessage app for Android, you should use an iPhone, instead. If you want to message your friends and family properly, you can use WhatsApp, or you’ll be able to text using the RCS standard in the near future.
Here, you can learn more about Sunbird changes.