It seems like an ill-advised move to remove SMS support from Signal (as shown by the multitude of comments on the discussion of the post elsewhere on HN). One of the reasons I like Signal is it isn't Google Messages, as in it's one extra step for Google to peek at the messages I'm sending (using Android itself notwithstanding). I felt I could trust Signal not to be actively undermining my privacy and monetizing/cataloging my communications. What trusted app would you recommend for SMS communication if Signal does in fact remove that feature?
Silence
<a href="https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.smssecure.smssecure/" rel="nofollow">https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.smssecure.smssecure/</a><p>first versions of signal had encrypted sms. then it was spinned of as a separate app. then abandoned.<p>Silence is a much more evolved fork of that spinoff. It's the best sms app even without encryption (it has encryption). It's the first app I install on a new android
As a counterpoint, all this hullabaloo around removing SMS being a bad idea is weird to me. SMS' ongoing popularity seems to be more specific to the US/NA area. That's likely the biggest market since it seems SMS is free-ish for phone carriers there? The rest of the world moved on from SMS ages ago except for marketing/spam/OTPs.<p>I welcome more replacement of SMS over time globally.
Signals position is moronic and if they go through with the change it basically leaves matrix as the only option. But matrix/element UI/UX is still not really ready for prime time.
SMS is not a trustworthy protocol. If you want security, set up OMEMO or Matrix properly. If you want SMS, use an SMS messenger. You shouldn't fear Google/Apple in this matter, but rather Big Telco, who probably stores all of your SMS messages for at least 5 years (if they comply with government regulation). There's not really a company on the planet who can fix that for you, besides maybe Tracphone if you'd consider using burners.