WordPress.com owner Automattic acquired the multi-service messaging app Beeper for $125 million last year and announced plans to merge it with Texts.com, another app in the same category. Now, Beeper has released the first set of redesigned apps for iOS and desktop in beta following the merger.

In a recent blog post, Beeper mentioned that it used the foundation of the Texts.com app to build the desktop version, while the iOS app was developed from scratch. The company highlighted that the new apps are faster, more efficient, and consume less battery.

Founder of Texts.com, Kishan Bagaria, stated that users can still use the old app for now, but eventually, there will be a straightforward way to migrate to the new set of apps. Currently, Beeper relies on Beeper Cloud to store messages and credentials for other services. However, upcoming versions will store all data on the device itself. Additionally, the new apps will feature on-device encryption for improved privacy and security, as well as support for multiple accounts linked to the same messaging service. Bagaria also mentioned that in the future, the Mac app will enable users to send and receive iMessages.

Beeper was created by Eric Migicovsky, the founder of the Pebble smartwatch and a partner at Y-Combinator. Following the acquisition, Migicovsky took on the role of head of messaging at the company. However, last month, Migicovsky announced that he is refocusing on rebuilding Pebble.