About Threema: Anyone using it? Is it as safe as they say?

Goswin

I think Signal will require WiFi though. It won't update with mobile data.
Im not sure why WiFi is mandatory and not an option.

Goswin

"So just to clarify.

If play services is not installed. There isn't much difference as there is no proprietary software to fall back on. (Unless the unutilized bit of code for google in the website version is somehow a risk)

Threema Libre will require either Obtainium or an Fdroid client for updates.
Updates will also be apx a week behind schedule.

Whereas Threema apk direct from website supports in app updates.
Updates will also be on time."

This was also meant to be a question if anyone whos more knowledgeable wants to confirm?

dokmaistr

Goswin in addition to what @Eagle_Owl mentioned:
I don't see a delay in updates using the Threema F-Droid Repo and Obtainium.
Also, I don't see a use case using Threema (Google version) without Google Play Services running since you won't have push notifications (unless you want to manually check for new notifications I assume). Threema Libre does provide its own push service independent from Google.

Eagle_Owl

Murcielago
Sorry, not 100% correct (it would be nice, but unfortunately…).
Quote:
“The main difference between store_threema and libre is that the former contains proprietary push services and a self-updater while the latter does not. Additionally, the libre version will use your system emoji, instead of bundling emoji graphics.”

Reference:
https://github.com/threema-ch/threema-android#build-variants

Goswin

dokmaistr Eagle_Owl

This was mentioned by eagle further up

"I am using Threema's shop version, not Libre, because I avoid to use F-Droid and the long times for updates.
Although it is an external repository with Threema's own signature (i.e. more secure than F-Droid's uniform signature for all apps), the distribution of new app versions there is very slow (almost a week delay is usual)."

And as far as I can tell the website/google version does support threema push

https://threema.ch/en/faq/threema_push

Goswin

Eagle_Owl

Sorry I must have misunderstood "proprietary push services" to mean the option for external google push downloaded. Not something proprietary built into the app.

Sorry if these were dumb questions. Thanks for the reply.

Murcielago

Eagle_Owl

I mistakenly thought store_threema was Threema Libre, you're right, thanks for the correction.

dokmaistr

Goswin And as far as I can tell the website/google version does support threema push

https://threema.ch/en/faq/threema_push

Ah, true, sorry about that

Eagle_Owl

Murcielago
It would only be logical to (also) offer a Libre version on their own website.
Unfortunately the Threema team don't do that and they trust F-Droid. :-(

that_guy

Eagle_Owl Actually, you can get it from their own repository.

For faster updates, you can also install Threema Libre from our own repository. This requires you to add the repository first...

https://threema.ch/en/faq/libre_installation

The above indicates to me that this is not the main F-Droid repository, it is Threema's own F-Droid repository that they host and they sign the APK, not F-Droid. The updates also come faster here since you don't need to wait for F-Droid proper to do whatever they do.

Eagle_Owl

that_guy
Yes, that is their own repo on the F-Droid server.
Threema uses the storage space at F-Droid to offer their own Libre version.

And yesterday I found out how to obtain the original Threema Libre without installing F-Droid!
I have added it in Obtainium…
– using the path https://releases.threema.ch/fdroid/repo/
– select in the pulldown menu below it “Overwrite source” (German term: “Quelle überschreiben”)
– select from the list: “F-Droid third-party repo”
– tick the box next to: “Automatic selection of the APK with the highest version code”

…after a few seconds it finds the right page and you can add it. :-)

Now I test the Libre version directly maintained by Threema, avoiding F-Droid completely.

Notice:
At F-Droid they offer you the very old Threema Libre Version 5.6.1l (1013) - Added on Nov 25, 2024
As Obtainium user you get the newest Threema Libre Version 5.8.0l (1043) - Added on Jan 20, 2025

Goswin

https://www.messenger-matrix.de/messenger-matrix-en.html

Is anyone aware of something like this that has all the different download/update options for messengers.

Bonus would be checksums, signatures etc.. and recommended tools to verify

leafnose

Eagle_Owl
Oh, I’m happy to see you changed your mind; I was a bit puzzled.
I answered here the other day, but was not knowledgeable enough to cover all the potential issues with F-Droid, even with third-party repos, and I’m still not.

Just wanted to add on this thread that my issue with the self-updating APK is that my Threema is on a secondary profile that has install and update rights disabled, which was quite cumbersome compared to the updating through the owner profile for the libre version.

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