The founder of smartwatch company Pebble has launched universal chat app Beeper that allows users to access messages from multiple apps in one place.

Previously called NovaChat, Beeper was developed by Eric Migicovsky, founder of now-defunct smartwatch company Pebble, whose intellectual property was bought by Fitbit in 2016.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Premium Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

For a $10 monthly fee, Beeper offers users a “unified inbox” made up of 15 different chat networks, including Whatsapp, Instagram, Slack, iMessage and Signal, meaning messages across the different platforms can be viewed in one place, with the ability to search across messages.

Available on MacOS, Windows, Linux‍ iOS and Android, Beeper is built on open source federated messaging protocol Matrix. Element Matrix Services bridges between different apps, meaning a user can communicate with a user of a different app through Beeper. The code for these “bridges” is open source and available on Gitlab.

Beeper’s open API also means that developers can build plugins, integrations and extensions on top of the platform.

However, when it comes to making iMessage work on Android, Windows and Linux, the process becomes more complex. According to its website, Beeper will send users a jailbroken iPhone with the Beeper app installed which bridges to iMessage, or they can used a Mac connected to the internet to act as a bridge.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Matthew Hodgson, co-inventor of Matrix said:

“We’re delighted to see Beeper taking advantage of Matrix. It’s great to see the Matrix ecosystem thriving, and to see our interoperable decentralised technology challenging outdated walled gardens like WhatsApp, iMessage and Signal.

“Originally it was just Element that was taking on the likes of Facebook, WhatsApp, Slack and Teams. And Element Matrix Services – the world’s largest Matrix-based hosting platform – which gives companies an easy enterprise-ready way to take advantage of open, real time communication.

“But we’ve seen a big growth in the number of Matrix apps being created, which is exactly why we created it in the first place! So whilst Beeper is attacking the consumer space, alongside Element who also owns the collaboration one, you can see Famedly specialising in healthcare, or Citadel in the defence sector. Matrix was created to give freedom to the user to choose the app they prefer to communicate, it’s fantastic to see this dream come true!”

Read More: Could Element offer a secure alternative to workplace collaboration?