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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)

#291

Post by krater23 »

dodgerdan wrote: post #193
lucideer wrote: post #153

This is bizarre. If this were an in-depth announcement with a long and well-structured technical justification attached, I could understand. Though I suspect I'd likely disagree with the decision, I could probably accept it as a simple different of opinion if the arguments were evidently well-thought-through and considered. This blog-post is so lightweight. There's no technical analysis. There's barely any justificat…

Improving UI/UX around to clarify the SMS function is insecure is almost impossible. Google did research around SSL cert warnings a few years back, their conclusion was that people don’t read and just dismiss warnings, no mater what UI was. A frightening percentage of people also think the security padlock icon is actually a handbag. Most people simply lack the technical basis to understand the security implications…

The people you talk about see no sense to use signal at all. So why should they install it when they have SMS? And when Signal is installed, why should the change the app and use signal instead of SMS?

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#292

Post by jessfyi »

The idea that they can't improve the UI/UX to better inform to the people who repeatedly, accidentally send insecure messages/sms (ignoring the existing words "Unsecured SMS" in the chat field, the unlocked lock near messages, the unlocked lock next to the phone, or the giant banner that occasionally drops down that tells you the % of secure messages you can be sending if you pester a contact into grabbing signal) as one of the reasons for this change is frankly bullshit.

Changing the Send button's icon to "SMS" or a color/border change ala iMessage are ideas off the top of my head and I'm sure they've got designers significantly more talented than I am that can think of better ones. We've seen very little iteration there that's indicated the significance of that problem...and frankly if they highlighted this as a tactic vs endless spam texts more people would be receptive to this news. As it stands I think this is going to significantly reduce their number of casual users. In fact I'm willing to bet that the cohort of users who are used as justification are the least likely to convince their contacts to switch to Signal.

Don't get me wrong, their real desire to increase the amount of people sending secure messages via Signal alone + resource mgmt in the face of a recession are valid. But acting as a unified messenger (with better link unfurling, threaded replies, and reactions after Google killed Allo vs the default messenger that spent years getting them) was the trojan horse onto many of my friends' and colleagues' phones. Now that there's parity I can see more people just opting into the default messenger/FB Messenger + Whatsapp combo because more people exist there and we're all just lazy.

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#293

Post by DesiLurker »

rtcoms wrote: post #255
CommitSyn wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, this is an idiotic decision that makes me question the decisions being made as a whole by Signal. Does anyone have recommendations for a good default SMS app on Android?

SMS Organizer by Microsoft https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.microsoft....

shudder

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#294

Post by akamoonknight »

stirfish wrote: post #135

I left some feedback asking them to reconsider. https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/requests/new

Thanks, I'm sure Signal devs to some extent look at HN, but was looking for a way to concretely let them know about the potential damage I see this causing.

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#295

Post by nilespotter »

richbell wrote: post #129
londons_explore wrote: post #104

I think the real rationale for this change is signal believes this will push user adoption. If User A (who uses the signal app) regularly communicates with User B (who doesn't), then this change might encourage User A to ask User B to join signal. It makes a stronger network effect, and will increase viral growth. However, I think the Signal team is misguided, and in fact they will just lose users who don't want one…

> If User A (who uses the signal app) regularly communicates with User B (who doesn't), then this change might encourage User A to ask User B to join signal. It makes a stronger network effect, and will increase viral growth. Conversely, the inconvenience of having multiple messaging apps could cause User A to stop using Signal. Look at what happened with Hangouts when they dropped SMS support.

Hi, I'm User A!

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#297

Post by groestl »

Krasnol wrote: post #246
daedalus_j wrote: post #149

I've been using Signal for a long time. I have repeatedly been unable to convince iOS users to use Signal because "I don't want another app". Android users have been much more willing to give it a shot. As an android user myself, I much prefer having SMS built in because I use the search feature often to look back through all my SMS/Signal chats. I also regularly forward an SMS message to a Signal user, or vice versa…

...and there I am here in Germany where nobody seems to use SMS anymore. I couldn't care less about this.

Didn't even realize there was SMS built into Signal (apart from the "Invite via SMS" screen once in a while).

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#299

Post by aendruk »

grammers wrote: post #233
daedalus_j wrote: post #149

I've been using Signal for a long time. I have repeatedly been unable to convince iOS users to use Signal because "I don't want another app". Android users have been much more willing to give it a shot. As an android user myself, I much prefer having SMS built in because I use the search feature often to look back through all my SMS/Signal chats. I also regularly forward an SMS message to a Signal user, or vice versa…

This. I've switched to iOS recently and I hate that I need two apps now. Already longing to go back to Android.

When I switched from Android to iOS this was the number one technical regression, and for years my go-to example of nice things Apple keeps from us. It’s unbelievable how Signal is sabotaging itself here.

Re: Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)

#300

Post by jhoechtl »

Krasnol wrote: post #246
daedalus_j wrote: post #149

I've been using Signal for a long time. I have repeatedly been unable to convince iOS users to use Signal because "I don't want another app". Android users have been much more willing to give it a shot. As an android user myself, I much prefer having SMS built in because I use the search feature often to look back through all my SMS/Signal chats. I also regularly forward an SMS message to a Signal user, or vice versa…

...and there I am here in Germany where nobody seems to use SMS anymore. I couldn't care less about this.

Austrians don't care too.

I can't understand who and why anyone cares about SMS these day, besides receiving government emergency notifications.

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