Install viber with Homebrew Cask

Project links

• Homepage
• Package manager page

Commands and aliases

No executable aliases were found in the local package database.

Project history

Viber was introduced on December 2, 2010, after its founders sought a way to avoid expensive international calling charges by offering mobile-to-mobile VoIP calls.

Rakuten completed its acquisition of Viber Media on March 11, 2014. Viber subsequently operated as part of Rakuten while continuing to develop messaging and calling services.

Viber introduced default end-to-end encryption for its core personal communications in the 6.0 generation; its official anniversary material dates that rollout to April 2016.

Adoption history

Viber expanded from free internet calling into a cross-platform messaging service with personal chats, group conversations, media, communities, channels, and voice and video calls. Rakuten reported about 280 million registered users and more than 100 million monthly active users when it announced the acquisition in 2014.

Desktop use became closely tied to the mobile account: the desktop client connects to a phone and synchronizes available messages and contacts, making it a companion endpoint rather than an independent traditional desktop chat account.

How it is used

Users activate the desktop application by linking it to Viber on a phone. Messages and contacts available from the phone are then synchronized to the computer.

The desktop client supports messaging and voice or video calls. Its settings UI controls devices, media retention, automatic downloads, privacy, notifications, and optional proxy use.

Deactivating the desktop client logs it out and removes locally held Viber data and media without deactivating Viber on the linked phone.

Why package nerds care

Viber represents the proprietary desktop-messenger class of package-manager casks: Homebrew can automate installation of the signed application, while identity, message synchronization, upgrades, and service operation remain controlled by Rakuten Viber.

Its presence in a cask catalog is useful for reproducible workstation setup, particularly for users and organizations whose contacts rely on Viber, but it does not turn the service or desktop client into an open-source package.

Timeline

• 2010: Viber launched on December 2 as a mobile VoIP application.
• 2014: Rakuten completed its acquisition of Viber Media.
• 2016: Viber introduced default end-to-end encryption for core personal communications.
• 2017: Viber promoted full chat-history synchronization in its desktop application.

Related projects

• Viber Out, Viber's paid calling service for reaching telephone numbers.
• Rakuten services and Rakuten Account, which can be linked to a Viber account.
• Viber mobile applications, which activate and synchronize the desktop client.

Sources

• Official Viber Support: https://help.viber.com/hc/en-us
• Official Viber history article: https://www.viber.com/en/blog/2020-12-02/viber-is-10/
• Official desktop synchronization article: https://www.viber.com/en/blog/2017-08-06/sync-your-chat-history-to-your-desktop/
• Official encryption history: https://www.viber.com/en/blog/2017-12-06/viber-celebrates-7-years/
• Rakuten acquisition announcement: https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2014/0314_01.html