10 ms·

This still won't even do MMS, and battery life is terrible. Nonetheless I truly hope it succeeds.

seba_dos1 6y ago
Not out-of-box in a user friendly way yet, but hackers gonna hack: https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/chatty/-/issues/30#note_125426 https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/chatty/-/issues/30#note_12542...
Mediterraneo10 6y ago
Lack of MMS is a shortcoming that really affects only North America. MMS is not widely used elsewhere. Really, getting Whatsapp to work through an Android emulation layer like Anbox is the higher priority for much of the world now.
- teekert 6y ago
  I believe there are Matrix/Element - WhatsApp bridges. They require some setup and its not for everyone but for me it would be an option.
  - OJFord 6y ago
    No audio/video calls though.
    - linmob 6y ago
      Neither via Anbox currently unless it is massively better on Librem 5 than on PinePhone.
- kop316 6y ago
  https://puri.sm/posts/anbox-on-the-librem-5/ https://puri.sm/posts/anbox-on-the-librem-5/
- pmontra 6y ago
  I agree about Whatsapp but I'm really curious about the reason why MMS is a thing in North America. It's been basically dead in Europe even at the launch of 3G in 2003.
  - twicetwice 6y ago
    My understanding is that the US got free unlimited texting long before Europe did -- so Europeans were still paying by the text when WhatsApp/etc arrived and they jumped on that, but since they weren't/aren't paying per text Americans were/are much less motivated to switch, so social inertia keeps MMS alive. This could be totally wrong though, my evidence is just from talking to European friends.
    - elboru 6y ago
      Sounds reasonable, something similar happened in Hispanic America, SMS was really expensive, so as soon as WhatsApp showed up everyone jumped to it. Actually I’ll bet WhatsApp was the main motivation to get a smartphone during those years.
  - JoshTriplett 6y ago
    > I'm really curious about the reason why MMS is a thing in North America Everyone on almost every phone has MMS, no matter what else they might have. It's the common language.
  - norenh 6y ago
    What are you talking about? I live in Sweden and tons of people (including me) does not have whatsapp and uses MMS as a protocol that works with everyone. Most people here have one or two other means of messaging but it is not the same type so MMS is the safe fall-back when unsure or if it fails.
    - muyuu 6y ago
      that honestly surprises me, it isn't the case in the UK or any of the EU countries I visit ; I haven't seen or used an MMS for maybe 20+ years it would be interesting to map MMS usage worldwide, maybe it's a more important feature than I thought EDIT: correction, I actually tried MMS once or twice with a phone circa 2007-2008, just checked (so not quite 20 years)
- admax88q 6y ago
  I'd much rather the only open source phone in the world not focus on proprietary messaging protocol, especially one which is overly hostile to third party clients. I think Anbox is a mistake for the Librem. If you want android apps just run android. All this effort to have a totally independent OS, but really just run android apps on it.
  - hackernewslol 6y ago
    Anbox is more meant as a "transition" than a end-goal, similarly to forwarding your email when you change addresses. It isn't meant as a permeate solution, more as a way for users to transition to FOSS tools without having to leave everything immediately. At the same time, we have had plenty of time to migrate so I see where you are coming from.
- BiteCode_dev 6y ago
  Untrue, here in France I regularly use MMS. There are 1000 different messaging apps, some are on whatsapp, some are on telegram, some are on "new thing". But MMS works with anybody with a phone, and you don't even need a good internet connection. For a quick picture, a contact card or a small voice message, it's great.
  - eznzt 6y ago
    Does everybody use MMS, or do you regularly use MMS? Because your complaint about messaging apps sounds like the usual Linux user stuff. Most people will just use whatever app is more common (which according to this is Messenger) https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7RQwoJ8z83Zi65NDMvmHKVU0WxBJIrh9szeW_v63iawFYoRE7Ay499ylT0cvNrQJXKaYMxiB2PyOZKnR82h0yxAghk5JFmQ0uefdqFruKB4BMoMKE-JdDvD5FYDX6Y73GSz40nCj https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7RQwoJ8z83Zi65NDMvmHKVU0Wx...
    - BiteCode_dev 6y ago
      People don't use mms, they send stuff using their sms app, which decide to use an mms or not. In fact, long text messages are often turned into mms under the hood. People just don't know about it. As long as it works transparently, they don't have to.
      - eznzt 6y ago
        Do people actually use SMS? Aren't they bloody expensive?
        pta2002 6y ago
        It's free in a lot of places.
        BiteCode_dev 6y ago
        Sms, mms, and phone calls are included in a lot of cheap unlimited contracts accross europe.
  - 6y ago
- elric 6y ago
  Do you have any numbers to back up that bold claim? Smells like a sweeping generalization to me.
teekert 6y ago
Yeah about that MMS, I just got the strangest phone call from the 90s... Guess what?!
m463 6y ago
Who cares about MMS? Isn't that like using http in this day and age? Just use a secure app.
- cjbconnor 6y ago
  Tell that to my friends/family who only use MMS, and can't be convinced to switch. Some people just don't have a choice
  - m463 6y ago
    Drat. That's the one loophole that drives all these compromises on tech people make.
- BlueTemplar 6y ago
  What 'secure' app ?

Not out-of-box in a user friendly way yet, but hackers gonna hack: https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/chatty/-/issues/30#note_125426 https://source.puri.sm/Librem5/chatty/-/issues/30#note_12542...

Mediterraneo10 6y ago

Lack of MMS is a shortcoming that really affects only North America. MMS is not widely used elsewhere. Really, getting Whatsapp to work through an Android emulation layer like Anbox is the higher priority for much of the world now.

teekert 6y ago
I believe there are Matrix/Element - WhatsApp bridges. They require some setup and its not for everyone but for me it would be an option.
- OJFord 6y ago
  No audio/video calls though.
  - linmob 6y ago
    Neither via Anbox currently unless it is massively better on Librem 5 than on PinePhone.
kop316 6y ago
https://puri.sm/posts/anbox-on-the-librem-5/ https://puri.sm/posts/anbox-on-the-librem-5/
pmontra 6y ago
I agree about Whatsapp but I'm really curious about the reason why MMS is a thing in North America. It's been basically dead in Europe even at the launch of 3G in 2003.
- twicetwice 6y ago
  My understanding is that the US got free unlimited texting long before Europe did -- so Europeans were still paying by the text when WhatsApp/etc arrived and they jumped on that, but since they weren't/aren't paying per text Americans were/are much less motivated to switch, so social inertia keeps MMS alive. This could be totally wrong though, my evidence is just from talking to European friends.
  - elboru 6y ago
    Sounds reasonable, something similar happened in Hispanic America, SMS was really expensive, so as soon as WhatsApp showed up everyone jumped to it. Actually I’ll bet WhatsApp was the main motivation to get a smartphone during those years.
- JoshTriplett 6y ago
  > I'm really curious about the reason why MMS is a thing in North America Everyone on almost every phone has MMS, no matter what else they might have. It's the common language.
- norenh 6y ago
  What are you talking about? I live in Sweden and tons of people (including me) does not have whatsapp and uses MMS as a protocol that works with everyone. Most people here have one or two other means of messaging but it is not the same type so MMS is the safe fall-back when unsure or if it fails.
  - muyuu 6y ago
    that honestly surprises me, it isn't the case in the UK or any of the EU countries I visit ; I haven't seen or used an MMS for maybe 20+ years it would be interesting to map MMS usage worldwide, maybe it's a more important feature than I thought EDIT: correction, I actually tried MMS once or twice with a phone circa 2007-2008, just checked (so not quite 20 years)
admax88q 6y ago
I'd much rather the only open source phone in the world not focus on proprietary messaging protocol, especially one which is overly hostile to third party clients. I think Anbox is a mistake for the Librem. If you want android apps just run android. All this effort to have a totally independent OS, but really just run android apps on it.
- hackernewslol 6y ago
  Anbox is more meant as a "transition" than a end-goal, similarly to forwarding your email when you change addresses. It isn't meant as a permeate solution, more as a way for users to transition to FOSS tools without having to leave everything immediately. At the same time, we have had plenty of time to migrate so I see where you are coming from.
BiteCode_dev 6y ago
Untrue, here in France I regularly use MMS. There are 1000 different messaging apps, some are on whatsapp, some are on telegram, some are on "new thing". But MMS works with anybody with a phone, and you don't even need a good internet connection. For a quick picture, a contact card or a small voice message, it's great.
- eznzt 6y ago
  Does everybody use MMS, or do you regularly use MMS? Because your complaint about messaging apps sounds like the usual Linux user stuff. Most people will just use whatever app is more common (which according to this is Messenger) https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7RQwoJ8z83Zi65NDMvmHKVU0WxBJIrh9szeW_v63iawFYoRE7Ay499ylT0cvNrQJXKaYMxiB2PyOZKnR82h0yxAghk5JFmQ0uefdqFruKB4BMoMKE-JdDvD5FYDX6Y73GSz40nCj https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/7RQwoJ8z83Zi65NDMvmHKVU0Wx...
  - BiteCode_dev 6y ago
    People don't use mms, they send stuff using their sms app, which decide to use an mms or not. In fact, long text messages are often turned into mms under the hood. People just don't know about it. As long as it works transparently, they don't have to.
    - eznzt 6y ago
      Do people actually use SMS? Aren't they bloody expensive?
      - pta2002 6y ago
        It's free in a lot of places.
      - BiteCode_dev 6y ago
        Sms, mms, and phone calls are included in a lot of cheap unlimited contracts accross europe.
- 6y ago
elric 6y ago
Do you have any numbers to back up that bold claim? Smells like a sweeping generalization to me.

teekert 6y ago

Yeah about that MMS, I just got the strangest phone call from the 90s... Guess what?!

m463 6y ago

Who cares about MMS? Isn't that like using http in this day and age? Just use a secure app.

cjbconnor 6y ago
Tell that to my friends/family who only use MMS, and can't be convinced to switch. Some people just don't have a choice
- m463 6y ago
  Drat. That's the one loophole that drives all these compromises on tech people make.
BlueTemplar 6y ago
What 'secure' app ?