Removing sms texting from their android app is probably going to make me stop using Signal. It's a shame, but there are not enough people using it to make it worth having another messaging app.
I really hope they reconsider their decision.
I really hope they reconsider their decision.
Security when possible, but with a trivially easy-to-use fallback was what let me get others on the platform.
I really like Signal, but it's a niche thing for me. I have two friends who use it, familie is all on iMessage or SMS and SnapChat, that's it. Signal would make sense for those on SMS still, but convincing them to switch is going to be an uphill battle. Those on iMessage, why would they consider using Signal, when everything just works.
The very fact that you're commenting on HN probably means you're technically-literate so probably it does not apply to you.
But I am also curious about that sentiment about not realizing iMessage isn't SMS that. I heard it repeated a lot. I have not met a lot of people that share this sentiment and have not heard of research around this specific topic. So I'd love to put some data behind it.
Disclaimer: I pay Signal monthly (happy to do it in exhcange for no-bullshit app)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_Foundation#History
EDIT: Hopefully they made money on that scammy alt-coin too.
They're basically kicking me out as a happy user. I would love to continue using Signal, not sure what the motivation for this change is in the first place.
Not dropping SMS would mean people getting annoyed at signal silently losing messages, as people use it to send SMS to which the recipient responds over RCS.
The "world" does not include iOS. In the USA, that's 55% of mobile phone users.
With that in mind, lets go back to their reasons here https://community.signalusers.org/t/signal-blog-removing-sms... :
1. RCS is coming, and it doesn’t play well with Signal. I once had a situation when I was sending SMS to one of my friends via Signal, but I wasn’t seeing any of their responses
Same will happen for iOS users. If Google/Android breaks SMS that badly for everyone I'll be dropping Google's Messenger. I expect most people would.
2. Proper SMS/MMS support is hard.
No, I've done it, it's not hard. There aren't that many API's, and they've been stable for yonks. Yes, it may cause support issues. In fact I generated one. I sent my wife an SMS, and it didn't arrive. I posted a support question. Moxie(!) responded: we just use the Android API to send the message. I looked at the source. He was absolutely right, of course (why did I doubt it). It was a Samsung bug in the end.
3. SMS/MMS has plenty of it’s own bugs.
Really? You are claiming the most used messaging platform on the planet is so riddled with bugs you can't support it.
4. Spam.
What? I will still have SMS. Everyone will. We will all continue to get the get the same spam. It will just come through another app.
5. Finally, Signal having SMS support gives a lot of people the wrong impression of SMS. They think that because it’s Signal sending it, it’s actually secure.
This where it clicked this was a marketing post.
After reading all that I still don't know what engineering justification is. I presume there is one - maybe it's the level of support calls. Hell maybe they plan to introduce a paid version that does support SMS. If they do and it's a few bucks a year, I would pay it and say "nicely played boys".
First thing, I am not an activist like Moxie. I think end-to-end encryption is a good thing, but it is not on top of my list. My primary reason for choosing a messaging app is to actually be able to message people, then there is the app general quality (fast, light on resources, stable, with the features I need, ...), encryption comes third. Signal had all three, SMS is almost universal in my country, it looked like a decent app that holds it own against dedicated SMS apps, and you have encryption as a bonus, nice.
With SMS gone, it lost #1, I don't have any friends who are on Signal that can't be reached by other means, so that's enough to let it go.
So I exported my SMS, and for some reason it exported it all as both SMS and MMS, making a huge mess that took a while to fix. In the process, in order to recover my data, I took a peek at the code, and while not terrible, it wasn't the best, for example, I stumbled upon some dead code. So with data loss involved, #2 is seriously compromised. Other issues include Signal "eating" SMS, not allowing them into their standard location (probably deliberate, but a negative for me), and for the final releases, SMS acknowledgment not working. I had trouble importing SMS at first too.
And finally, while it has top notch encryption, and probably a good choice for targeted individuals, I consider the "X is on Signal" notifications questionable with regard to privacy. Just because we share entries on our address book don't mean we want to get in touch. In fact what if the reason I have someone in my address book is to block him? I know it has caused major trouble to someone. Also, when I first entered Signal, I was greeted by a scammer sporting the Amazon logo. Not a big deal, not the worst, spam is almost unavoidable, but it is another thing Signal don't protect you much against.
With SMS support, I tolerated all these little quirks, it wasn't so bad, but without SMS, then it is out. And I am also a little pissed off for that export mess.
As for why I also deleted my account. It wasn't in anger. Problem is, what if I uninstall signal and if someone I recently texted installed Signal? Most likely he would send his next messages via Signal instead of by SMS. If I didn't delete my account, the message would have been lost in limbo. By deleting my account, they will know I don't have the app anymore, and if they really wish to contact me, do it another way (ex: by SMS).
Imho Signal is great for novice users. I even have my mom on it.
Fun fact, they used to be. When I started using Signal that's how it worked.
Sadly that's exactly what every phishing attack wants you to do.
We are not used to companies being that nice to their user base when their business plans change.
If the only thing keeping Signal on your phone is supporting SMS then you don't need Signal.
On any given day, I'm likely to use Signal, Whatsapp, Facebook Messenger, Discord, Slack, Matrix, and IRC. I'd like to get my contacts off a couple of those, but mostly not because it would reduce the number.