People use Beeper Mini because the Apple users they text with want them to. There's zero reason for two Android users to talk over iMessage using Beeper Mini. R

People use Beeper Mini because the Apple users they text with want them to. There's zero reason for two Android users to talk over iMessage using Beeper Mini. RCS provides nearly all the same benefits. But when the social pressure is for you to buy an iPhone that you don't want, it's sure tempting to just install an app so that Apple friends can stop complaining, and stop cutting you out of group chats. If no one used iMessage, the value of Beeper Mini is zero. The value is smoothing the interaction with people who assume everyone is using an iPhone, and treat it as an annoyance when they don't. So effectively saying "just buy an iPhone to use iMessage" means "just buy an iPhone so you can talk to your iPhone friends".