In 2023, Sunbird Was Shut Down After 9To5google Exploited Encryption Vulnerabilities to Access Over 630,000 Files

Sunbird, the messaging app that lets Android users join iPhone group chats with blue bubbles, is back on the Google Play Store three years after a privacy scandal forced its removal. The app, which costs $3 per month or $24 per year with a 14-day free trial, connects Android devices to a remote server that registers an Apple ID, tricking Apple's network into authenticating it as authorized hardware. Sunbird cites a survey claiming 30 percent of Android users have considered switching to iPhone over pressure and mockery, and nearly a quarter of iPhone users wouldn't date an Android user.

The company promises future WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger integration, plus AI tools like a message summarizer and an agentic assistant, while insisting user messages stay private. In 2023, Sunbird was shut down after 9to5Google exploited encryption vulnerabilities to access over 630,000 files. pressure and mockery.