Signal alternative for SMS now they want to drop its support

Orphee

Standardwaste Google play services is used with firebase for notifications in most of apps like protommail, signal (if Google play services installed) etc... You can't revoke its permissions without a big drawback.

Standardwaste

Orphee

eatinggrumble84

I currently use Molly-FOSS instead of Signal, which does not rely on firebase for notifications. For Gcam I only have GSF installed, which has all permissions revoked.

As far as using Google messages, after looking at https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/com.google.android.apps.messaging/latest/ I find the following permissions outside what I am personally willing to install:

CHANGE_NETWORK_STATE
change network connectivity
CONNECTIVITY_USE_RESTRICTED_NETWORKS
DOWNLOAD_WITHOUT_NOTIFICATION
INTERNET
have full network access

eatinggrumble84

Standardwaste

I'm curious if Gboard sends telemetry similarly. I currently use Gboard in my main profile and only have Play services installed in a work profile. But to used Google Messages, i'd have to install in the main profile with Play services. But I hadn't thought of revoking internet access for Play services.

eatinggrumble84

Standardwaste

I assume those permissions are null if Network is revoked by GOS. But does RCS require network access?

mylesofsmiles

eatinggrumble84 I don't think it does. I have RCS enabled and even after receiving several messages through it in the past 24 hours it never showed as accessed in permissions. I am not going to be the guy who tests it out though because I rely on it so much. Let me know if you can send without the network permission.

Orphee

Thanks for your messages...
I installed Google Message and enabled RCS to check... And I discover some of my contacts are using it already...
It seems their default SMS app (Samsung, OnePlus...) handle it.
I bet one Pixel phones default app is Google Message...
I will probably deal with it for SMS/RCS purpose...

Thank you!

mjnck

Orphee
Maybe its abaddoned but stock sms app is abbadoned also, it havent changed since about android 5.0/6.0 😄
Its just sms, not every software has to be updated daily 😃

Orphee

mjnck I agree but looking at GitHub issues it seems there are actually some bugs currently happening and annoying. (Dual sim)

BalooRJ

Partisan SMS is a new fork of QKSMS that is gaining traction and is being worked on now.

https://github.com/wrwrabbit/Partisan-SMS

WickedMainah

I see others here mentioning using Google Messages. This was going to be my solution for now, however even with GSF installed with all permissions granted, Google Messages throws an error about Play services needing Files and Media permission.

I'm not seeing this permission listed under permissions anymore. I know it used to be.

Orphee

WickedMainah to be honest I did not give any of requested permissions to play services and blocked the notification.
I did not see any issues yet.
Phone and sms was needed only for RCS activation

WickedMainah

Orphee I think I fixed it by resetting the storage related permissions and installing Carrier Services.

spiral

So wait - how can I use Google Messages safely? Do I need to revoke all permissions from Google Play Services/Store/Framework ?

I currently use gcam and Gboard with network permissions revoked but I've assumed that using Google Messages would require more permissions.

I have never altered permission settings for Google Play Services/Store/Framework. Should I?

jhg103

spiral The minimum settings it allowed me to use it with was:

Google Play Services: Phone/SMS (revoked after RCS activated) & Network
Google Services Framewok: Network

You may can get by without the 2 above. I use them for a couple of other apps.

Google Messages:
Contacts (probably not needed, but then you have to remember everyone's #.)
Music/Audio (again probably not needed unless you view a video from a text and want audio)
Network - RCS will not work without this on my & my wife's phones.
Notifications - not needed
Phone
SMS

spiral

jhg103
Thank you.

JoeS

Has anyone heard anything from Signal about dropping SMS?

What's everyone's favorite alternative? Still trying to figure that out. I don't want to install Google.

rbird2

I use the default GrapheneOS Messaging app for SMS. It is set at the Default SMS app (Settings, then Apps, then Default apps, then SMS app).

I have the Signal app installed for the Signal app features. Signal is not set up as the Default SMS app.

Oggyo

Orphee I saw QKSMS seems abandoned looking at its GitHub repo...

Looks like there is some movement on its repo, hopefully, a new update soon. :)
https://github.com/moezbhatti/qksms/releases

VAULT

Just installed QKSMS... Thanks for the tip. NICE!! :)

newbie24689

Orphee , Well stated.

ISTM your situation is common for MOST users; certainly for me. SMS is simply the standard; insecure protocol at this time, but not yet replaced for the masses.

IMHO stick with the GOS messenger for routine txts - consider them postcards that are readily readable in transit.

You know who wrote/maintains it - trustworthy, skilled and not spyware.
It is part of the hardened OS - using hardened tools and techniques. A lot of cell phones have been hacked via SMS - I bet GOS messenger is NOT one of them, but some third party messenger could be.

[deleted]

newbie24689 You know who wrote/maintains it

GrapheneOS maintainers don't maintain the SMS app, The SMS app is a part of AOSP.

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