Apple has started lifting iMessage bans on Mac users who previously lost access after granting access to Beeper, but it remains unclear why the bans were imposed in the first place.
In mid-January, Apple began banning a handful of Mac owners from the iMessage platform after granting Beeper access to Apple’s messaging platform. As of January 21, Beeper said that there were around 30 users who had reported being banned.
No warning was given to users before the ban, and it was thought that the move could have been retaliation against using the controversial messaging app. According to Beeper, Apple alleged that “spam” was the reason for the hardware ban.
Full details
We’ve received and authenticated reports from 30 Beeper users who’ve had their personal Mac computers banned from using iMessage. These users configured Beeper (Cloud or Mini) iMessage connection to use their Mac, as per our December 21 update.
We are taking this
— Beeper (@onbeeper) January 26, 2024
However, now user reports are rolling in that these Macs are starting to regain access to iMessage. Beeper suggests that the move was done as a way for Apple to mitigate bad press after the New York Times began investigating the story.
For users still facing bans on their Macs, Beeper recommends reaching out to Apple Support for assistance. Users are also encouraged to report their cases within the Beeper app.
Beeper notes that it has since disabled users’ ability to initiate new iMessage connections from Beeper Cloud.
In December, Beeper crafted a method of using a real Mac to connect to iMessage and use that registration with Beeper Cloud and Beeper mini. This workaround allowed Android users to post to the iMessage network.
The workaround used authentic registration data from the user’s own hardware or a Mac they had access to provide access. Nonetheless, this resulted in banning about 30 users out of 3500 who had set up an iMessage connection.
This story originally appeared on Appleinsider
