361–370 of 649 posts
The comments here are so bizarre to me. I think this must be a USA thing. I had no idea signal even supported SMS, nor do I know anybody who uses SMS
In fact, I hope getting rid of SMS support adds some capacity to the team for features/fixes I care the most about.
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.
There was just an article that said that 88% of teens have an iPhone. That means that almost all of their communication is encrypted.
Outside I think mostly the US, SMS is basically only used for spam and 2fa messages. I can't remember the last time I communicated with someone via SMS to be honest. To hear that people use it in group chats is mind boggling to me.
I'm with you. Totally confused about the outcry and use cases. Sounds like the 90s over here.
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…
We don't seem to have this problem so bad in the UK/Europe. Most people I know have WhatsApp and/or Telegram, and FB messenger, and Signal (in my friend circles); all alongside SMS. I have very few iMessage groups, and use it mostly for 1to1 SMS with people I don't know well.
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...and there I am here in Germany where nobody seems to use SMS anymore. I couldn't care less about this.
> in Germany where nobody seems to use SMS anymore. That's not true at all. I assume that besides Signal you use WhatsApp, though?
And yes, WhatsApp is prevalent here.
... 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…
Correction, you dont need the privacy* Telegram is absolutely the worst when it comes to privacy, it has access to everything you do and say. If you want a master app, have a lot at matrix.org with bridges.
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I agree completely here. This is terrible news from my perspective too. I use Signal for _all messaging_ (e2e secure or not) for the reasons that you mention. I've onboarded friends and family, too, ensuring them it should be set as their default messaging app and that it _just works_. Unfortunately, people in the general population seem to have pretty much zero tolerance for any friction whatsoever. If they have to…
I don't like some of the decisions taken by Signal. However, if "dropping support for SMS messaging also frees up our capacity to build new features (yes, like usernames)", I think it is something I would not miss. Besides, I agree with them on the point that SMS leak metadata.
SMS does leak metadata but guess what, that leakage is going to continue because people aren't going to just cut off their SMS-only-using friends and relatives. Now they'll be leaking Metadata from an even less secure app, so the user is in no way better off.
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Austrians don't care too. I can't understand who and why anyone cares about SMS these day, besides receiving government emergency notifications.
Phone-based 2FA hasn't got to Austria yet?
I don't even open the SMS program if I get a code. I type it from the notification area. I certainly don't have to answer to it.
The only possible benefit to this would be to break their dependence on using phone numbers as the way to sign up for accounts and possibly provide a reasonable way to export message data.
Otherwise it just feels like the wrong decision and a reminder that Signal is not a community driven project but subject to arbitrary changes and provides no way to fork or disagree with the project lead as can be done with most free and open source software.