Removing SMS support from Signal Android (soon)
Article Summary
Nina from Signal just announced they're killing a feature that's been in the Android app since before Signal even existed. After nearly a decade of supporting plaintext SMS alongside encrypted messages, they're finally drawing a hard line on privacy.
Nina from Signal announces the removal of SMS/MMS support from Signal's Android app after nearly a decade. The feature, dating back to when the app was called TextSecure, allowed users to send both encrypted Signal messages and plaintext SMS from one interface.
Key Takeaways
- Plaintext SMS messages leak metadata and contradict Signal's core privacy mission
- Users mistakenly sent SMS instead of Signal messages, incurring unexpected telecom charges
- Mixed messaging created UX confusion between secure and insecure conversations
- Removing SMS frees engineering resources to build new features like usernames
Critical Insight
Signal is prioritizing security over convenience by removing a legacy feature that compromised their privacy guarantees and confused users about message security.