Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, has made a significant move in the messaging app space by acquiring Beeper, the app that brought iPhone messaging features to Android smartphones. The deal, valued at about $125 million, aims to support the development of a single service for sending and receiving chats from various platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, LinkedIn, and more.
With regulators in Europe and the United States pushing for more open messaging services, Automattic sees an opportunity to create a unified messaging system that will make it easier for people to communicate with friends and family across different platforms. Toni Schneider, Automattic’s interim chief executive, believes that the changing regulatory environment will drive interest in a service like Beeper.
This acquisition marks Automattic’s second foray into the messaging service space, following its purchase of Texts, an iPhone app that consolidates messages from various sources. The plan is to combine the technologies of Beeper and Texts into a single app that will work seamlessly on both iPhones and Android smartphones, as well as computers.
Eric Migicovsky, co-founder of Beeper, expressed excitement about the combined service that Beeper and Texts will deliver this year. The teams from both companies will come together in Portugal to kick off the integration process.
Beeper gained attention last year when it released an app that allowed Android users to send encrypted messages and high-resolution videos to iPhones. However, Apple blocked the app by changing its iMessage system, leading to some conflict highlighted in a Justice Department lawsuit accusing Apple of maintaining an iPhone monopoly.
Despite these challenges, Beeper is now set to open up to a wider audience after a successful testing period with about 100,000 users. With 466,000 people on the waiting list, Beeper is poised for growth, especially with its focus on Android smartphone users.
Automattic’s early investment in Beeper, along with support from investors like Y Combinator and Initialized Capital, has paved the way for this acquisition. Beeper’s 27 employees have officially joined Automattic, signaling a new chapter for the messaging app and its users.
