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PieMessage open-source project brings iMessage to Android using your Mac as a server

A new open source project called PieMessage enables cross-platform iMessage support, allowing Android users to communicate using Apple’s iPhone messaging platform.

In the video below, we get a short look at the PieMessage app in action with a still unreleased prototype version of the app.

The video was sent in by Eric Chee, the app developer that built PieMessage and today released the code on GitHub

It’s not the first app to enable the feature as similar but short-lived solutions have been previously available for Android devices. Like the previous solutions, it needs a server to enable iMessage support on non-Apple devices. The difference is PieMessage uses Mac and an OS X client as a server. In the past, apps that have been released used a third-party server to route messages, raising security concerns among users and likely for Apple as well. But this approach could in theory allow users to use their own Macs:

Basically what the Android client does is send the text to a macbook. And uses the Mac’s “Messages” app to send off the notification. When the Mac detects an incoming message, it will pass it back to the Android. So yes there is both software you need to run on a Mac and Android. I have an old 2007 macbook that is just always on connected at home that serves as its client…

In the GitHub project is an OS X client and an Android client as well as “messages.applescript” and Java Web Server. Chee explains the “messages.applescript is arguably the most important part of the project. It is what makes sending iMessages possible. This script is what sends an iMessage message.” And he also notes that since the project uses a custom API, it’s possible other developers could build clients for the web, Windows or other platforms in addition to Android.

[youtube=https://youtu.be/rcoX-uiDNs4]

The developer told us PieMessage is still a work in progress. It “can receive group messages, but sending has its limitations,” Chee notes. And he also points out that it’s possible Apple could patch future OS versions that could break the app.

But now that the code is on GitHub, it’s also possible for developers to build apps that will allow Android users (and other platforms) to access iMessage using their own Macs as a server.

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Comments

  1. skwameblog - 8 years ago

    Given imessage is only accessible to Apple users, What’s the point of iMessage when you have whatsapp?

    • Bill Welense - 8 years ago

      It’s really difficult to be on Android when all of your friends and family have iPhones with iMessage. In my experience, iPhone users don’t like using third-party messaging apps. Ideally, Apple would make an iMessage app for Android.

      • Iain - 8 years ago

        Exactly! Couldn’t have said it better.

    • srgmac - 8 years ago

      Is WhatsApp end to end encrypted?
      I trust iMessage for the most part…EFF ranked it as one of the most secure mass messaging platforms in existence.
      It’s certainly not fool proof but I am certain that Apple keeps no logs of messages or attachments sent and received and they are all of course end to end encrypted, with each device having it’s own private and public key pair.

    • srgmac - 8 years ago

      Looks like it is
      https://theintercept.com/2016/05/02/whatsapp-used-by-100-million-brazilians-was-shut-down-nationwide-today-by-a-single-judge/
      I am glad that more and more services are using end to end encryption

  2. I’ve always wondered about this. Glad someone had the same idea and ran with it.

  3. Hey guys! Eric, developer of PieMessage here! Happy to answer any questions you guys have :)

    • srgmac - 8 years ago

      Hi there…Can you explain how the encryption works when using this app along with the OS X app acting as a server?
      Does the Android client basically share the same private key as the OS X app that is actually being used to send the message?

      • Hey sgmac. Great question. The Android app does not store any iCloud credentials. It simply passes the text to the OSX device. The OSX device just tells the OSX ‘Messages’ app to send it assuming you are signed into that iCloud account on the OSX. As far as the socket communication from the Android app to the OSX client – Since it’s an open source project, I left the encryption part up to the developers who are much more fluent in terms of security. Right now it just sends a plain text JSON to back n forth. Completely unacceptable I know. But yeah as you can tell, this project got really big which is why I’m hoping to get help from the open source community.

    • Giannis Tekeridis - 8 years ago

      Good job Man !

  4. John Smith - 8 years ago

    Interesting as a tech challenge, but not sure of the practical use – bit like windows on an iPhone.

    For the people with fantasies about the FBI/CIA/NSA watching them – they would need to look at how the crypto is working as these messages move from the Apple environment to the PieMessage environment to the Android environment.

  5. xoFoxtail - 8 years ago

    What about pictures and videos?

    • Hey xoFoxtail. Eric, developer of PieMessage here. Great question! Photo/Video messages are definitely possible too. There is a place in the SQLite table named ‘message_attachment_join’ and ‘attachment’. It just has to attach that file in some kind of protocol for the OSX, JWS, and Android client to implement.

  6. Abedoss - 8 years ago

    I think an official and native app without the need of a Mac server should come from Apple, this serves Apple customers, and could appeal a new android switchers.

  7. Get this on Windows 10!

Author

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Jordan Kahn

Jordan writes about all things Apple as Senior Editor of 9to5Mac, & contributes to 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, & Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series.