It’s all about the bubbles.

Samsung has released a new video in support of Google’s #GetTheMessage campaign which calls for Apple to adopt RCS or “Rich Communication Services,” the cross-platform protocol pitched as a successor to SMS that adopts many of the features found in modern messaging apps… like Apple’s own iMessage.

  • owatnext@lemmy.worldEnglish
    341·
    1 year ago

    I am beyond bummed that Signal abandoned SMS support. It worked, it isn’t a constantly evolving standard. Just leave it alone, Signal!!

    • dm_me_your_feet@lemmy.worldEnglish
      141·
      1 year ago

      I used it too. I miss it, but i get why they removed it: it just kinda breaks the Signal user experience and trust model. This app lives and dies by the users trust their conversations will be private. By having an option to message someone in a completely unencrypted, easy to intercept mode like SMS it risks this trust for little gain (some power users like us liked it). By removing it, the app concentrates on what is expected from it and removes a big possibility for user error while fleshing out its marketing image even more. It makes perfect sense but its a tad annoying.

      • i_stole_ur_taco@lemmy.caEnglish
        81·
        1 year ago

        Unfortunately, in doing so, Signal became Yet Another Messaging App. It really damaged their value proposition in my eyes.

        If I need a separate app for SMS, WhatsApp, Messenger, Telegram, Signal, etc, it just becomes a chore to find enough friends willing to move to it exclusively.

        The IM ecosystem really needs to be harmonized on the user end. I remember Trillian was this great app back in the day that brokered all your MSM, Google Chat, etc IM accounts into a single app that let you just focus on messaging people and not worrying about what platform was being used. We badly need this again.

        • dm_me_your_feet@lemmy.worldEnglish
          4·
          1 year ago

          Matrix can kinda emulate this kind of “all messages in one app” experience with bridges but you introduce a single server who decrypts all your end to end encryption so you pretty much have to self host. Also the bridges arent perfect so your msgs will sometimes look weird or not support some features.

        • Zak@lemmy.worldEnglish
          2·
          1 year ago

          A shared frontend would be a little more convenient, but is having multiple apps that big a deal? I think I have eight right now.

          Android’s default Contacts app has buttons for each option a given contact has so there’s not even much cognitive load to pick the app you need if you start from there.

          • iopq@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            1 year ago

            I don’t have people saved in Contacts, they are only saved in my apps directly

            • Zak@lemmy.worldEnglish
              1·
              1 year ago

              Most chat apps will sync with Contacts if you allow them to. If you don’t do that, then you have to remember which app you want for each person, which becomes inconvenient if you have a lot of contacts who use different apps.

      • owatnext@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6·
        1 year ago

        I understand what you’re saying, but I feel it was pretty transparent the way they handled SMS vs. Signal Messages. I suppose it’s a bit like the D.W. meme, though.

        D.W. from the kid's show Arthur looking at a sign on a door reading "SMS messages are unencrypted", and responding "this sign won't stop me because I can't read!

      • whofearsthenight@lemm.eeEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        Yeah, I don’t follow the details on this much and my first thought was “Signal had SMS support? WTF?”

      • TheFririshEnglish
        11·
        1 year ago

        I understand that they wanted stay true their philosophy but that decision is the reason we will never see Signal be relevant ever again. I hope they do a U turn

    • ysjet@lemmy.worldEnglish
      41·
      1 year ago

      You’ll notice Signal backtracked on supporting SMS as soon as they got an ex-Googler as their new leadership.

    • Zak@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      1 year ago

      I always thought having SMS support in Signal created a significant risk of confusion about what kind of message the user was sending. Of course sophisticated users always knew the difference, but it’s for software that emphasizes security it’s better not to have to tell people who don’t understand the technical details “it’s secure unless…”.

      • jcs@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        It’s a valid point that it could potentially create some confusion when a user assumes that everything in Signal is secure. Unencrypted SMS threads could contain an open padlock icon and even an ominous red window border, but someone inevitably will not understand the difference.

        However, my frustration has been how both convenience and security is reduced by removing SMS from Signal.

        Many people will continue to use SMS for a variety of reasons, necessitating the use of an additional app. So now we have people continuing to communicate over this insecure protocol, but with the additional target vector of potential vulnerabilities in the supplemental app.