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  • Signal alternative for SMS now they want to drop its support

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.

      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 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.

              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!

              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 😃

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

                    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.

                      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

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

                            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?

                              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

                                  2 months later

                                  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.

                                  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.

                                  a month later

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

                                  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.

                                  1. You know who wrote/maintains it - trustworthy, skilled and not spyware.

                                  2. 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.

                                      I too am looking for an sms app.

                                      I'm willing to sacrifice and live with the old look and colors of the default app, but what is a major issue for me is the fact that you can't delete multiple messages at once. You can either delete the whole conversation , or a single message. Its clunky and slow. It's a MAJOR pain in my ass, cause I constant delete useless messages and only keep important ones. The default app is such a pain.

                                      But at the same time, the "robustness" and "reliability" of the app is more important to me than anything else. Having someone send you an important sms and then it disappearing or getting corrupted by the app is not acceptable for me.

                                      In my opinion "oldness" is not a problem, as many apps really don't need updates. What matters is reliable functioning and good workflow.

                                      So I've been looking at QKsms and Simple SMS as alternatives, however I am afraid about their reliability. There is almost 400 open issues on both of them on github, with reports of images being messed up and messages disappearing, group messages being messed up. these are elements that have to work correctly for me because others may use them with me. Using an app that doesn't know how to handle the sms protocol wholly and correctly is IMO fundamentally problematic. At least the default app can be trusted in this sense.

                                      From you guys' experience, are they reliable enough to use do you think?

                                      Do you guys really think google messages could be used "safely"? Normally I wouldn't ever even remotely risk going near any of their software that would have access to such sensitive data as my sms and phone calls.

                                      At least with google messages or signal you know you are dealing with a "reliable" app.

                                      Anyway I'm in desperate need of a solution and just don't know what to do. I need a different app than the default.

                                      I'm hoping you guys have a suggestion, or can tell me whether QKsms or SimpleSMS are good enough to use?

                                      I just need a reliable app that can do just a little more than the default app.