Today, Nothing – the phone company started by former OnePlus CEO, Carl Pei – announced that it will be bringing Apple’s proprietary messaging service, iMessage, to Android. But, there’s a catch, and a huge security risk.
Nothing Chats – the first Android OEM support for iMessage
Revealed in an exclusive by YouTuber Marques Brownlee (MKBHD), the service will enable users of Nothing’s Phone (2) to sign in with their Apple ID, synchronise contacts, and chat away. Gone are the green bubbles!
THE CATCH WITH iMESSAGE FOR ANDROID
From Nothing:
Nothing Chats is an app developed in partnership with Sunbird, which allows you to message other users via blue bubbles. We are currently in a Beta phase, which means more features and improvements are coming down the line. Stay in the loop by signing up for updates.
Nothing, 2023
You might ask, what’s the big catch? Turns out, there are multiple, and they include a huge security risk. As revealed by MKBHD, it requires someone to sign in to the service using their Apple ID, which then signs in with that ID to a Mac mini that the individual will never see. This is because, like many “iMessage for Android” apps, it requires the use of Apple’s ecosystem in order to relay the messages. Effectively, a person will write out and send a message from their phone, to Nothing Chat’s servers, which then sends it outward to the intended recipient via the Mac mini.
Will you be purchasing a Phone (2) in order to use iMessage for Android? Are you concerned about the security risks?
