Getting access to iMessage is probably one of the top reasons many people would choose an iPhone 17 over even the nicest Galaxy S26 or Pixel 10, but that may not be necessary anymore. Years after shutting down due to security concerns, one messaging app is making a comeback, and it could allow Android users to use iMessage once again.
Sunbird relaunches its iMessage app for Android
The Sunbird app is back on the Google Play Store, allowing Android users to chat via iMessage with iPhone owners. According to a press release, messages sent through it will appear as blue bubbles on iPhones, instead of the usual green bubbles coming from non-Apple devices.
Blue bubbles are only part of what Android users are getting with the app. According to Sunbird Messaging CEO Danny Mizrahi, the app brings other features, such as reactions, replies, and high-quality video, as well.
Blue bubbles are just the surface. The real problem is that an Android user in a group chat still breaks it for everyone: reactions, replies, high quality video, and group management often just do not work. Sunbird fixes that, so the Android user becomes a full participant, and their iPhone friends get the experience they expect too.
Danny Mizrahi, CEO of Sunbird Messaging, August 2026
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Addressing the security concerns
Sunbird promises to add various new features. | Image by Sunbird
Despite promising end-to-end encryption, the app was found to store user data as plain text. Its vulnerabilities gave relatively easy access to over 630,000 files.
Addressing the issue, Sunbird says messages are now encrypted on users’ devices and in transit, with the app keeping them only long enough to deliver them. The company also says it doesn’t store Apple ID passwords or authentication tokens, with each user’s iMessage connection running in a private space that’s torn down once they disconnect.
Of course, there will be some AI features
The new Sunbird will also come with a suite of new features, including the so-called Sunbird Intelligence. Those will include conversation summaries through a Catch Me Up feature and an assistant for organizing messages in folders or drafting replies.
The company also plans to add integrations with WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. All AI-powered features and additional integrations are expected to launch before the end of September. The app comes with a 14-day free trial for new users and a subscription that’s $2.99 a month or $24.99 a year.
People outside the US may find the green bubble issue amusing, but stateside texting from an Android phone could turn into an issue. While most users on Reddit say it’s a concern mostly for teenagers, some grownups also say they had issues when texting iPhone owners from their Android phones.
Green bubbles can make your dating life more complicated. | Image by Reddit (Screenshot
RCS hasn’t solved anything yet
One would probably wonder why such an app is even necessary after Apple started supporting RCS. The reason is that RCS and Google Messages don’t support all the modern messaging features one would expect, and this type of messages often break cross-platform chat groups.
Similar to many smartphone users outside the US, most of the people I need to chat with use WhatsApp, so I use iMessage only occasionally. Still, I think having something like Sunbird available is nice, especially if the security issues are really resolved.
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Ilia, a tech journalist at PhoneArena, has been covering the mobile industry since 2011, with experience at outlets like Forbes Bulgaria. Passionate about smartphones, tablets, and consumer tech, he blends deep industry knowledge with a personal fascination that began with his first Nokia and Sony Ericsson devices. Originally from Bulgaria and now based in Lima, Peru, Ilia balances his tech obsessions with walking his dog, training at the gym, and slowly mastering Spanish.
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