Anyone know what the beeper monetization model is? This is super cool, but I’m not sure how the company intends to monetize this, which always makes me a bit nervous
Yeah good point actually… I’m still holding a little hope for RCS to finally be added to Textra someday so I can go back to that instead of Google Messages…
RCS has open spec, but implemanting it means dealing with phone networks and their policy. Also limiting operating systems like Android and iOS and a blocking factor.
No need to push it. Good old XMPP is better in every single way and exists since 1999. No tied to phone number, stable, proven, available on any device, with encrypted group calls and easy to host yourself.
Yes, but they’ll have to add you to the group chat using your Apple ID instead of your primary phone number unless you use one of the “workarounds” to get your number attached to iMessage.
The workarounds listed are for Airmessage but they apply to Beeper as well in terms of getting your phone number attached. I’ve been using method #1 successfully for about a month now.
Is there a Matrix Bridge for RCS? RCS is neither SMS nor is it Google Chat.
Edit: this isn't to claim Beeper is better. Just stating that technically there is something on offer that Matrix Bridges doesn't support. I think I'd still prefer Matrix with Bridges over Beeper.
Edit: apparently Beeper is based on Matrix. Can't confirm whether their own repo would introduce any dependencies for their bridge that isn't in the main repo for Matrix. So it's hard to say.
Yes. “Beeper adding support” is really them making a new Matrix bridge, and they open source all of their bridges, so just use theirs. It’s here: github.com/mautrix/gmessages/tree/main
So that does change things, but doesn't necessarily confirm it would natively work with Matrix (though doesn't discount it either). Is there confirmation that mautrix bridges are cross-compatible to matrix? Technically Beeper is built off of mautrix which is based on Matrix but isn't necessarily the same as Matrix. I don't know much about Beeper as I only learned of it today.
Maybe I’m wrong, but I thought that Matrix was a protocol, while mautrix was a client framework for the Matrix protocol written in Golang. Mautrix bridges are bridges for Matrix based on the mautrix framework. Beeper uses the Matrix protocol with some bridges (and maybe other components) based on mautrix; it’s basically a proprietary commercial fork of Synapse and Element with better-integrated bridges. I have several mautrix bridges on my Matrix server, and every mautrix bridge I see (including gmessages) says it’s for Matrix.
Beeper adds more polish, meaning that you don’t need to manually configure bridges or maintain the Synapse server. It also gives you better indications of what bridge a room is from than Element does. If you know how to set up a Matrix server, you probably don’t need it, but it’s nice to have the option.
When sending and receiving Signal, iMessage and WhatsApp messages, Beeper’s web service acts as a relay. For example, if you send a message from Beeper to a friend on WhatsApp, the message is encrypted on your Beeper client, sent to the Beeper web service, which decrypts and re-encrypts the message with WhatsApp’s proprietary encryption protocol.
I don’t know how tech savy you are but I selfhost Matrix and almost exclusively use bridges to talk with friends. I feel comfortable breaking e2e on a system I control and the all-in-one-place messaging is pretty sweet, like Pidgin used to be.
If you are already comfortable self-hosting other services, Matrix doesn’t really impose any additional complexity IMO and the bridges I use seem to be very stable.
How do you mean? I’m actually kinda interested since I have friends on WhatsApp and Signal. Seems like it would make things more convenient by combining both messengers.
I don’t see any downside, especially since it is mostly open source, so you can make your own server if you want. You’ll get Element and Synapse rather than Beeper’s fork, but it works well.
I would love to use this. My only concern with it is that it would be pretty much impossible to get people to use Signal if they see that you are already on iMessage or RCS, but this could be very useful for signing up with a VOIP number for work, because you probably are not gonna ask your boss to download and use Signal you are only going to ask your friends and family who have your real number instead of a VOIP number
No need for an always on Mac with Beeper. I was previously using Airmessage and then Bluebubbles in this manner on an old Mac Mini. Have been on Beeper for a couple of months now. They use their own Macs as servers.
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