I'm still just so furious at Signal management for removing compatibility with other text apps. I used to be constantly growing my Signal network, now it's a slowly shrinking rump that I never add anyone to.
Right, the idea was that you could use Signal as your SMS app, and so whenever there was someone else doing the same you'd automatically upgrade to Signal. Whereas now I never have those auto-upgrades, any new contact I am just stuck on SMS with.
In my opinion, relying on upgrading users automagically to an encrypted and secure protocol isn't good practice. If someone wants to use an encrypted chat, they should do so consciously. It will only cause confusion otherwise.
Do people still use SMS these days though anyway?
I would have thought iMessage, RCS and separate chat apps like Whatsapp, Signal and WeChat would have largely replaced SMS by now.
In my opinion, relying on upgrading users automagically to an encrypted and secure protocol isn’t good practice. If someone wants to use an encrypted chat, they should do so consciously. It will only cause confusion otherwise.
This is my theory for why they ditched this feature - the ultra-concerned about privacy superusers don't approve of its messiness, even though in practice it's the main engine for user growth.
Do people still use SMS these days though anyway?
I would have thought iMessage, RCS and separate chat apps like Whatsapp, Signal and WeChat would have largely replaced SMS by now.
SMS, MMS, iMessage and RCS are all compatible with each other and mostly used interchangeably and are the main way people text each other (in the US anyway). You just have a phone number, and when people text it with any of those formats you receive the message and respond the same way.
Great feature, but if I'm reading it correctly, you won't be able to chat with someone anonymously (because your profile will still be shared). Are there good apps for that?
This is a big complaint for me. I know that there is the official standalone APK, but if I am running a de-Googled phone, I want to be able to use Signal and have it update on a regular basis.
Don't bother with this person. All I've seen them do is read the post's title and produce an (often inappropriate) reaction to said title. Peak Redditor.
About time!! Been waiting for this for so long. This will definitely make the usability of Signal better and it'll also be more accessible to people who wanted a Telegram like way to talk to other folks. Requiring a number to still register isn't a bad thing in my eyes though sometimes it can be frustrating so I hope that there's an option to create an account without a number. Maybe the account will have finite time before it's auto-deleted if you don't input a number some time later to ensure that this option isn't abused to all hell by bots and malicious actors alike.
its a sensible choice because many potential implementers hae been dissuaded by the anxiety attached to risks of giving out phone number. (harrassment, stalker, spammer, scammer) . the telephone system has paralyzed itself in fear. yet we all keep buying their shit.
Maybe the account will have finite time before it’s auto-deleted if you don’t input a number some time later to ensure that this option isn’t abused to all hell by bots and malicious actors alike
we're already banning bots, thus effectively making them time-limited.
Yet we still have bots and spam on there. This sadly won't work.
I would love to use Signal more, but I have it for only 1 friend. No one else I know uses it. And the fact that they don't support SMS is I imagine a large contributing factor.
(Yes, I know SMS is inherently insecure & unprivate, but having that support is a good way to get users' foots in the door, and also what good is a totally secure platform if no one uses it?)
I still luckily have a nice group of friends using Signal but I agree that dropping SMS support was a mistake. There was a good issue explaining why dropping SMS support was bad on their GitHub: https://github.com/signalapp/Signal-Android/issues/12560
In hindsight it's sad how very right he was. Now when I think "I want to send Alice a message", I just go to the app I know will work, instead of trying to remember if Alice still uses Signal too.
It's never too late. "Back then", when I started using Signal (called TextSecure), only one other single friend used it. Nowadays, almost all my personal contacts use it. Every additional Signal user adds a contact in someone other's address book as a potential Signal contact. It just takes time. Good luck!
In my region everyone uses Facebook Messenger. And if you don't use it, to contant people that won't install an app for you (like meeting you for first time), the only option is SMS.
I mean to be honest to only reason to use messengers is just costs, I wish SMS where as cheap as internet flatrates... But that might very well be a regional issue too
This is VERY debatable because statements that broad are almost always false. There is no need to have a cellular->IP->cellular bridge for 1:1 communication involving more servers, more service providers. If anyone wanted to they could implement at least the 1:1 signal protocol and probably even the messaging layer security protocol on top of SMS to get e2ee group communications.
Nobody wants to because cell providers sell SMS for horrendous prices compared to internet access.
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