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Out of all features, the one that really holds Signal back from mass adoption: there's no way to backup or transfer messages to a new phone from iOS. In order
by chimeracoder 7y ago
Out of all features, the one that really holds Signal back from mass adoption: there's no way to backup or transfer messages to a new phone from iOS.
In order for Signal to reach "the masses", it needs to become popular with a large number of people who don't really understand encryption or care about it, but are using Signal anyway because they happen to communicate with people who do care about encryption. That's a good thing!
Unfortunately, it's a really hard sell to tell someone, "Hey, download this new messaging app so you can talk to me. Oh, and by the way, when you get a new phone, you'll lose your entire chat history with me".
- Krasnol 7y agoSince when are Apple users = "the masses"? The masses use Android and backup works there so I doubt this is what holds Signal back from mass adoption.
- novok 7y agoiOS users are the affluent, and the affluent have outsized influence.
- Krasnol 7y agoThis must be the most ridiculous thing I've ever read about the technology market. It is so far beyond delusional, it only can come from an Apple user. ...and than you wonder why people make fun of you.
- thallada 7y agoYou are referring to this backup restore process? https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360007059752-Backup-and-Restore-Messages https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360007059752-Ba... It involves a 6 step (with multiple sub-steps) process of navigating the sdcard contents and then transferring some obscure file over USB to a computer and then from that computer to the new phone. I doubt this is something that "the masses" will be able or willing to accomplish. Also, iOS has about 48% market share in the US, so it's at least half the masses there.
- Krasnol 7y agoOMG! SIX STEPS! Seriously? How often do you change your phone? I mean, sure I know that handing your Iphone to some genius means, you lose all your data and so on but that's not always the case on Android phones. > Also, iOS has about 48% market share in the US, so it's at least half the masses there. It is not throughout the world and since this app does not target the US population only, I doubt this group is somehow (more) relevant to the argument. Especially because we talk about a small sub-group of both markets who even cares about backups.
- oh_boy 7y agoDo you mean messages from other apps? Is that even possible with any other app?
- aratakareigen 7y agoLiterally no "non-tech-savvy" person I know backs up anything at all. I seriously doubt that backup / transfer is on anyone's mind at all when deciding to use a new messenger.
- jakebasile 7y agoI mean, for most competing apps this backup is completely transparent. It's when they reinstall Signal that they'll notice all their messages are gone irrevocably.
- distances 7y agoI don't understand this claim: I don't know any non-tech person who has WhatsApp backups enabled and working. If I don't go through the process with them when they're changing phones they'll literally start from blank state and are ok with that.