Beeper Mini Vs. Apple's iMessage Battle Goes Mainstream: Bipartisan Group Of Senators Urge DOJ To Launch Antitrust Investigation

In a recent turn of events, US senators and representatives are calling for a Department of Justice (DOJ) probe into alleged anticompetitive conduct by Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) against messaging app Beeper Mini.

What Happened: Senators Amy Klobuchar and Mike Lee, along with Representatives Jerry Nadler and Ken Buck, jointly penned a letter to the DOJ, according to CBS News' Jo Ling Kent.

They’re requesting an investigation into whether Apple violated antitrust laws in its dealings with Beeper Mini.

Earlier, Senator Elizabeth Warren also called out Apple for shutting down Beeper Mini, saying "big tech executives are protecting profits by squashing competitors."

The lawmakers’ action escalates the ongoing blue versus green bubble debate, with Beeper Mini now at the center of this dispute. The startup has persistently battled Apple, accusing the tech behemoth of anti-competitive behavior.

See Also: OpenAI Suspends TikTok-Parent ByteDance After It Used GPT To Train Its Own ‘ChatGPT Of China’

A comprehensive story featuring an exclusive interview with Beeper Mini CEO Eric Migicovsky and the 16-year-old engineer James Gill, who cracked the code, is set to be aired on CBS Mornings.

Why It Matters: In the weeks leading up to this development, Apple swiftly moved to shut down the ‘iMessage for Android' app Beeper Mini on December 9, causing an outage. The app was resurrected soon after, though with some limitations.

However, Beeper Mini's operation has been erratic, and some users report missing iMessages or a lack of functionality. The app's developers have been continually working to rectify these issues.

This chain of events has led to heightened scrutiny of Apple’s practices, culminating in the lawmakers’ call for a DOJ investigation. The outcome could have significant implications for Apple and the broader tech industry.

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Read Next: EU's Dream Of Messaging App Unity On Horizon? Beeper Mini To Bridge Gap With FaceTime, RCS, WhatsApp Integration

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.