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smallcircles (Humanity Now 🕊)'s posts Post Back to profile
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Martin Be

@HistoPol @smallcircles You can't use original Signal on the degoogled devices due to the "hardcoded" google-services dependencies in the app code.
Okay, there are some modded Signal versions with google crap removed, but still that's a "third-party" work - you can't be sure of what exactly is in the code inside. There's no warranty that someone doesn't compromised the app code. We have a few good example of troianised apps in the Samsung and Huawei store with over a million counted downloads.

2 Sep 2023 at 7:19 | Wall-to-wall | Open on mastodon.social
8 comments
HistoPol (#HP)

@MartinBe

Thanks for pointing this out.
An alternative app must run on Android and Apple to be acceptable, non-exclusive for the general public.
For me, not fond if the #RottenApple and its data practices and lock-in policies, #Signal will not be a solution in its current version, then.

I think I read that #Threema doesn't suffer from this issue?

@smallcircles

2 Sep 2023 at 12:29 | Open on mastodon.social
Gorky
@HistoPol @MartinBe
Signal do provide an apk directly downloadable in their website. You can get it here. https://signal.org/android/apk/
This version auto updates without depending on Google playstore and look like is the version used by people on degoogled phones.
I have personally not tried it though.
The other option is using the signal fork Molly (https://molly.im). The version named molly-foss is what you will need.
@HistoPol @MartinBe
Signal do provide an apk directly downloadable in their website. You can get it here. https://signal.org/android/apk/
This version auto updates without depending on Google playstore and look like is the version used by people on degoogled phones.
2 Sep 2023 at 13:22 | Open on greenish.red
Martin Be

@HistoPol @smallcircles To be honest I have no idea if Threema will work? I don't use android anyone since few years. Btw.. This app is open source or not?
I think better solution in such case can be Session, SimpleX, or something similar to them both. They can be normally used on for example SailfishOS with android api enabled. They also have a cli and desktop versions as well for many operating systems.

2 Sep 2023 at 14:23 | Open on mastodon.social
CC

@MartinBe @HistoPol @smallcircles
Threema "works", if you mean technically. yes. There is also a desktop client.
The app source code is available: (unfortunately on github) github.com/threema-ch/threema-

As to whether it "works" socially, there is an extra barrier to trying to move your network there, which is that each user has to buy a license (for less than the price of a beer in many countries) and this seems to be a huge barrier for most people who prefer their chat apps to be "free" 😉

2 Sep 2023 at 16:59 | Open on mamot.fr
cherti

@MartinBe @HistoPol That's strange, because for me original Signal runs flawlessly on a degoogled device... 🤔

2 Sep 2023 at 12:42 | Open on chaos.social
Martin Be

@cherti @HistoPol Original means the default one, This always firstly released package to the google play store. This one won't work, because it relays on the gms (google mobile services), gps (google play services), gns (google notification system/services) and firebase.
They provide now an app variant without those things but it is mentioned for HMS enabled devices like Huawei, Zte etc. Yes, it can be installed on the other devices but you won't have all features of the standard one app.

2 Sep 2023 at 14:32 | Open on mastodon.social
cherti

@MartinBe @HistoPol

well, if you refer to the "original one" as the one distributed via Google Play, the it is kinda unsurprising that this specific version depends on Google Play.

If you don't have GPlay, you have the alternative method.

I have also heard that both APKs are actually completely identical (including autoupdate), even though I haven't checked that myself.

Either way, I feel that the term "original" in this conversation is used primarily to be able to be antagonistic...

2 Sep 2023 at 15:45 | Open on chaos.social
CC

@MartinBe @HistoPol @smallcircles
I'm no fan of signal, but this is somewhat outdated and inaccurate. Despite that for all moxie's f-ed up reasons, they do their best to hide it from you, the APK that runs without g deps is available: signal.org/android/apk

2 Sep 2023 at 16:46 | Open on mamot.fr
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