Hello internet! Over a year ago, I launched a testing group for my app. Based on the feedback I've been receiving, the app is ready for daily use. That's why I'm excited to announce that AirMessage is now available for everyone!
AirMessage - iMessage on Android
AirMessage allows Android users to reconnect with their iMessage friends by bringing the service over to Android. Send and receive text messages, images, videos, audio messages, view when your messages are read, and enjoy certain iMessage effects!
Not only does AirMessage aim to let you use iMessage, but also to make messaging easy and fun. A clean, focused user interface, Android system integration, chat customization, a dark theme and many more features make AirMessage feel like it fits in with the rest of your phone, designed to work seamlessly.
Here are some screenshots, and you can check out our website here for additional information.
How does it work?
Can your android phone still receive messages when you are outside of the wifi range that the Mac is on?
Yes you can. If you set it up correctly, you'll be able to use AirMessage anywhere, so long as you have a connection to the internet.
Yep
That figures. This seems to be a Pixel 3 XL-exclusive bug. I'm looking into it.
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Welcome to the AirMessage subreddit! This post will contain general pointers for information about the software, how to get started, and where you can go from there.
Installing AirMessage
If you want to use iMessage on your Android phone, this would be the first step. For step-by-step instructions on setting everything up, take a look at the installation guide.
If you know what you're doing and would like to jump ahead, you can download the Android app here on Google Play, and the server app here from the AirMessage website.
Getting help
If you're having any issues with AirMessage, there are many resources available. For common questions, the AirMessage help page may have what you're looking for. It will be expanded as time goes on.
If you can't find what you're looking for there or have something more specific, you can make a post here on Reddit. Here, you can leverage the support of other community members, and work together to resolve the issue. I'll also be here to help out as well.
Finally, you also have the option of sending an email. You can send us a message at hello@airmessage.org, and we'll try to get back to you as quickly as possible.
Just to confirm, the receiver of the messages will see the email associated with my Mac's iMessage correct? Not my phone number?
Usually, that's the case. When people use AirMessage to switch from an iPhone to an Android phone, Apple will deregister their phone number from iMessage when they remove their SIM card.
However, if I were to, say use an iPhone as my primary device, and I used an Android tablet to do other things when I don't want to use my phone, I could install AirMessage on my tablet, and continue using iMessage with my phone number like I do on my iPhone.
The best way to think about it is like this: however iMessage is currently working for you, it will continue to work exactly the same after installing AirMessage.
I work in a location that has wifi, but absolutely no cell service (phone, text, or data). I can still use this, correct?
As long as you can connect to the Internet, you should be able to connect back to your server so long as it's configured correctly
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This means that something failed between the server receiving the message, and attempting to pass it on to Apple. This can be due to a misconfiguration with Messages (not logged in, account deregistered, etc…), a permissions issue (please make sure that you've allowed full disk access and automation access to AirMessage), or some other problem with the API.
The client should try and reconnect itself automatically when the conditions allow, though I suppose it's better if they don't disconnect at all.
I'm curious to know if there's any sort of a pattern here. For example, have you noticed that the issue occurs on Wi-Fi? Mobile data? Maybe switching from one network to another, or only at your workplace?
Yes I noticed that it tries to reconnect, but it takes quite a while. As far as I can see disconnection happens most at home over WiFi. I've had the phone beside me a couple of times seeing the notification change status to disconnected with the WiFi router and server a couple of meters away. Actually it happened right now when writing this. K
Well that's no good.
Can I ask you to do a little experiment? While you're at home, configure the app to connect to your computer's internal IP rather than your public IP or DDNS. See if the app still disconnects then.
I'm not sure if I understand your question, though I can tell you this:
AirMessage runs off of a Mac computer because of its exposure to iMessage. Apple provides developers with tools to send and receive messages, which AirMessage then uses to pass on the functionality to your Android phone.
Android phones cannot connect to iMessage servers directly, due to the way that Apple has set things up.
iOS devices offer iMessage functionality, though will need to be jailbroken, and currently aren't supported by us. There have been a couple of projects run a while ago aiming to do this, though they all create a web interface rather than connect to an Android app.
I've had a few people talk to me about this. Some people talked about a web interface, allowing you to send messages from any device with a web browser. That could in turn be turned into an Electron app for better desktop integration.
Anyways, no matter how it's put together, it is certainly 100% feasible. However, I currently don't have the time to pull something like this off, and there are still a number of things I want to get done for the app and server.
Is the server source code available somewhere so that I can see how it communicates with the app?
Sorry, the app is closed source, at least for now. Is the construction of a web client something you'd be interested in?
AirMessage - iMessage on Android
Hello Internet! I'm looking for testers for my new application - AirMessage! AirMessage allows Mac users to participate in iMessage conversations on Android devices. AirMessage is available in beta on the Play Store via an invite (more information below).
What is AirMessage, and how does it work?
AirMessage is a service which allows people to use iMessage on their Android phone. It contains a server component, and a client component. The server is to be installed on a Mac computer to route messages to and from the client app. You need a Mac computer and an Android smartphone.
What can it do?
AirMessage contains most of the features you get on iMessage. This includes sending and receiving messages, attachments and even receiving Apple's "bubble / screen effects" and tapback responses - though these iMessage-specific features can only be viewed.
I just wanted to clear some things up:
The app or the server doesn't actually collect ANY personal user data at all. Your messages, contacts, conversation details and connection details (and any other private data you can think of) are all kept away from me. The only references to my servers in the code are the support links. Even if some personal information manages to slip by in a crash log, the system hides it from me. I wouldn't be able to see, it even if I wanted to.
It bugs me just as much when corporations gather user data, so I can promise you that this app does not and will not do any of that.
As for profiting from the project, I don't. Not financially, nor by collecting personal data. I never started this project with any of those intentions, and I still don't have them. There are plenty of people out there that create legitimate nonprofit software. I only made AirMessage as a project to practice and improve upon my skills, and figured it wouldn't be right to keep something like this away from the community.
I hope this helps anyone reading this understand the reasons I made AirMessage.
P.S. I never downvoted your comments, /u/triciti. You're right to question free software made by other people, but what you're implying was only a guess, and isn't correct.
Perfect timing, I'm moving from iOS to Android this week and I use iMessage on my MacBook all the time. I'd love to test it as soon as I get my Pixel. :)
Edit: So you need a Mac up and running and online to be able to receive messages?
I'm sorry but when my MacBook is online, I'm using it, when it's in my bag, I use my phone. If that's the case this solution is pretty useless for me, sorry. Cool concept though.
Yeah, that's the case. Sorry about that.
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