PieMessage brings iMessage to Android, but there’s just one small catch
It’s safe to say it will be a cold day in hell before Apple ever brings iMessage over to Android, but it’s not stopping developers from creating some clever workarounds. A new app called PieMessage is allowing Android users to tap-into-iMessage, but there’s just one little catch: you have to have a Mac for it to work.
The app is open source and basically routes messages sent from the app to your Apple computer using a sever app for the desktop. It’s a neat trick, but still limited in function. For one, you’ll need to have a Mac that’s constantly on and running. Turn off the Mac and PieMessage stops working along with it. The other downside is that photos and group messaging aren’t fully functional, but the developer says that they’re already in the works for a future update.
Previous efforts from developers used third-party servers to transfer the data between services, something that apparently was a security concern for some. With PieMessage, the app is completely open source meaning not only can other developers help improve the app over time, but you can see exactly how the app is sending the data (providing you have the developing know how).
The developer released a short video demoing the app which you’ll find below. For those with a Mac and looking to compile PieMessage into an APK (or even incoporate it into an app of your own using its custom API), Github link can be found down below.
[PieMessage on Github | via 9to5 Mac]