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I don't think that's honest. Signal has the reach to get plenty of beta-testers on board, enough to maybe grow it from there. I'm not saying that it isn't tough

I don't think that's honest. Signal has the reach to get plenty of beta-testers on board, enough to maybe grow it from there. I'm not saying that it isn't tougher to do this way, but it's not like a "Signal Payments" App with a similar Logo by the same outfit trusted by many people for secure messaging already, starts at absolute zero. Plenty of outfits would kill for the Signal IP to create something like a payments app.

hiq 6y ago
> Signal has the reach to get plenty of beta-testers on board, enough to maybe grow it from there. I think we need a reality check here. When I check the Playstore, Signal has 50M downloads. WhatsApp has 2B. Signal is still largely the underdog. I could definitely imagine a few people using a "Signal Payments" app instead of whatever WA offers. But to actually compete with WhatsApp (which won't create a separate app), you can't afford to split the app in two. The aim is not that HN users are able to transfer money in a privacy-preserving way, it's that everybody can.
- Wxc2jjJmST9XWWL 6y ago
  If the illusion is that it's Signal's ultimate goal to dethrone WhatsApp (and Paypal for payments?), I think I'm not the one in need of a reality check (forgive the provocative wording, I have no ill will towards you). Signal's (meaning the app) goal should be to be a long-term, secure, honest alternative for more privacy minded users, no matter their technical expertise? At least that's what I'm thinking.
  - hiq 6y ago
    > Signal's ultimate goal to dethrone WhatsApp I see it more like setting the baseline for the whole ecosystem. If Signal allows me to do X privately, why can't WhatsApp? To have this clout, they need to keep a non negligible market share and remain a threat to other messengers, which you can't do if you miss features your competitors have and that users value.

hiq 6y ago

> Signal has the reach to get plenty of beta-testers on board, enough to maybe grow it from there. I think we need a reality check here. When I check the Playstore, Signal has 50M downloads. WhatsApp has 2B. Signal is still largely the underdog. I could definitely imagine a few people using a "Signal Payments" app instead of whatever WA offers. But to actually compete with WhatsApp (which won't create a separate app), you can't afford to split the app in two. The aim is not that HN users are able to transfer money in a privacy-preserving way, it's that everybody can.

Wxc2jjJmST9XWWL 6y ago
If the illusion is that it's Signal's ultimate goal to dethrone WhatsApp (and Paypal for payments?), I think I'm not the one in need of a reality check (forgive the provocative wording, I have no ill will towards you). Signal's (meaning the app) goal should be to be a long-term, secure, honest alternative for more privacy minded users, no matter their technical expertise? At least that's what I'm thinking.
- hiq 6y ago
  > Signal's ultimate goal to dethrone WhatsApp I see it more like setting the baseline for the whole ecosystem. If Signal allows me to do X privately, why can't WhatsApp? To have this clout, they need to keep a non negligible market share and remain a threat to other messengers, which you can't do if you miss features your competitors have and that users value.