Chert Builds a Twilio for iMessage

A new startup, Chert, has launched an API described as a "Twilio for iMessage" for businesses to automate customer conversations.

Startup Chert has introduced a new API designed to let businesses integrate with iMessage for customer communication. Founded by Gary and Ian, the platform allows companies to send, receive, and automate iMessage conversations at a large scale. The creators describe their service as a "Twilio for iMessage," providing the infrastructure for programmatic access to Apple's popular messaging service. This enables businesses to build custom communication workflows, such as support bots, automated notifications, and marketing campaigns, directly within the native iMessage application that millions of users already use daily.

The significance of Chert's API lies in its potential to open up a highly-engaged user base for business communication. Unlike standard SMS, iMessage offers a richer user experience with features like typing indicators, read receipts, and reactions, which can make interactions feel more personal and dynamic. For developers and businesses, this provides a new channel to build more engaging customer service bots and agent-assisted conversations. By bridging the gap between automated systems and the native iMessage interface, companies can meet customers on a preferred platform, potentially improving engagement and customer satisfaction.

Chert unlocks iMessage as a scalable communication channel for businesses, allowing them to reach a highly engaged user base on a platform that was previously a closed ecosystem for automated interactions.

Businesses can now use Chert's API to build richer, more interactive customer experiences within iMessage, potentially increasing engagement and customer satisfaction. It opens a new channel for support, marketing, and notifications that feels more native and personal than SMS or email.