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Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

signal.org

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Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#21

Post by calvinmorrison »

joemazerino wrote: post #14

I do not like this decision. Using Signal as a main SMS provider makes it easier for me to collect all of my messages in one place. Now I have to, YET AGAIN, download an SMS app for use while keeping Signal active. I'm glad privacy is becoming mainstream but dislike lowering the bar for adoption to where it profoundly affects users.

It makes me yearn for the days with Pidgin where I had IRC, Google Chat (XMPP back then), AOL and whatever else chat protocols all running through the same client.

That's what is nice about signals implementation is it stands. It supports acting as the SMS default app on android and defaults to signal when it can.

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#22

Post by mehlmao »

johntrain wrote: post #9

Can anyone recommend a good SMS Android app?

I've used ChompSMS (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.p1.chompsm...) for the past 10 years or so, side-by-side with Signal. I prefer keeping secure messaging and insecure messaging separate.

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#23

Post by LinuxBender »

calvinmorrison wrote: post #21
joemazerino wrote: post #14

I do not like this decision. Using Signal as a main SMS provider makes it easier for me to collect all of my messages in one place. Now I have to, YET AGAIN, download an SMS app for use while keeping Signal active. I'm glad privacy is becoming mainstream but dislike lowering the bar for adoption to where it profoundly affects users.

It makes me yearn for the days with Pidgin where I had IRC, Google Chat (XMPP back then), AOL and whatever else chat protocols all running through the same client. That's what is nice about signals implementation is it stands. It supports acting as the SMS default app on android and defaults to signal when it can.

One thing I liked about those multi-protocol clients is that some of them supported the OTR libraries for E2EE encrypted messages regardless of platform used. A couple of the implementations would automatically handshake with others to see if they supported OTR.

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#24

Post by KerryJones »

... and there's the reason I will likely stop using Signal?

Signal was always one of those "win-win" apps, get more security when it's available and I don't have to worry about adding to the giant bucket of messaging apps.

They were a paragon of putting the user first and I was a strong supporter... but now... Why not Telegram? Or anything else?

I don't need the security, it was nice-to-have. Having to switch between Signal and other apps is a heavy amount of friction.

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#25

Post by fyvhbhn »

joemazerino wrote: post #14

I do not like this decision. Using Signal as a main SMS provider makes it easier for me to collect all of my messages in one place. Now I have to, YET AGAIN, download an SMS app for use while keeping Signal active. I'm glad privacy is becoming mainstream but dislike lowering the bar for adoption to where it profoundly affects users.

I doubt your phone doesn't have a default sms app.

Anyways e2ee and sms doesn't mix well

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#26

Post by xcdzvyn »

JasonFruit wrote: post #19
eatwater123 wrote: post #10

This is an awful decision. I've converted some friends and family to Signal over the past years (it took a while) and it is now their default messaging app on their phones. This is going to confuse them and is going to make it difficult for me to keep convincing them that Signal is the route to use. ("Why do I need 3 apps (Android Messages, Signal, Whatsapp) to talk to people?")

I also deplore this. I hope it's communicated well to users who aren't readers of Signal's blog. I have relatives who use Signal, and they rely on its fallback-to-SMS feature, possibly without fully understanding it. I'll make sure they understand and are aware of this change, but others may be in the same position.

I fear Signal will follow their recent trend of ignoring unanimous user-base complaints a la Mobilecoin, fdroid, and third-party clients.

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#27

Post by dheera »

I support this decision, I don't use SMS and I'm in support of everything that kills SMS.

Next step: Please stop using phone numbers as a user ID. I have lots of throwaway phone numbers, but many people don't want to leak their phone number to every single person they want to have an encrypted conversation with.

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#28

Post by smlavine »

Very disappointing and upsetting. I use Signal as my primary SMS/MMS app on my phone, and use a few Signal chats as well with people. This is going to be really annoying. I'm probably going to just stop using Signal altogether to be honest.

Most people in my social circle use Snapchat or iMessage for "texting", for reference.

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#30

Post by garciansmith »

eatwater123 wrote: post #10

This is an awful decision. I've converted some friends and family to Signal over the past years (it took a while) and it is now their default messaging app on their phones. This is going to confuse them and is going to make it difficult for me to keep convincing them that Signal is the route to use. ("Why do I need 3 apps (Android Messages, Signal, Whatsapp) to talk to people?")

Yes, exactly. The ability to send SMS from the Signal app has meant I've been pretty successful in getting Android users to switch to Signal. Every iOS user I know always just goes back to using iMessage. Now many of those Android users won't bother either.
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