Automattic Inc., the parent company of WordPress.com, has completed the acquisition of Beeper, a messaging app, for $125 million, as reported by Bloomberg. With this acquisition, Beeper’s 27 employees, including co-founder Eric Migicovsky, will join Automattic. Migicovsky is set to assume the role of head of messaging at Automattic, which also manages platforms such as Tumblr and Longreads.
Beeper stands out as a universal chat application that consolidates various messaging services into a single inbox. Since its beta launch in 2021, the app has garnered approximately 100,000 users by seamlessly integrating with popular platforms like Facebook Messenger, Signal, and Slack. Migicovsky, renowned for creating the Pebble smartwatch prior to Apple’s entry into the wearables market, views Beeper as a solution to the absence of open standards in online messaging.
The acquisition follows Beeper’s notable dispute with Apple last year concerning its “Beeper Mini” app, which permitted Android users to access iMessage—a functionality swiftly obstructed by Apple. This incident attracted regulatory scrutiny, with the US Department of Justice citing it in an antitrust lawsuit against the tech giant. While Apple intends to facilitate RCS messaging between iPhones and Android devices later this year, Migicovsky anticipates that the partnership with Automattic will raise awareness regarding the necessity for open messaging standards.
Migicovsky lauded Automattic’s commitment to open-source principles, citing their proficiency in developing open-source infrastructure to bolster the internet’s openness. With the acquisition, Beeper transitions from its beta phase to a fully accessible platform for all users, signaling Automattic’s ambitious entry into the messaging domain. This strategic move not only expands Automattic’s portfolio but also underscores its dedication to fostering innovation in digital communication.