My point is that Signal is preferable to Apple Messages for privacy and security. I am not claiming that Signal is the best solution for every use case. (For instance, Matrix is superior if you do not want to be tied to a phone number.)
> Not really needed when your IME is spying on you.
Users can choose an open source keyboard on Android, such as AnySoftKeyboard or the default Android Keyboard (on AOSP installations). I don't know of any open source keyboards on the App Store for iOS, but the lack of an open source keyboard on iOS does not justify compromising encryption keys for Apple Messages users in certain regions.
Signal is not responsible for the security of the rest of the user's system, and if a user is using a keyboard that leaks information, then that also affects Apple Messages and any other app they are using, not just Signal.
> Want to also point out that months go by without server code being published
The Apple Messages server and clients are completely proprietary, so Signal is still preferable even though it had previously released server source code with a delay.
> Also, when users protested reliance on Google's store, analytics, and play services...
Apple Messages is only available as an app on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, with no option to fork because it is closed source. FaceTime is the same, but now also has a web app with limited functionality. On Android, Signal is still preferable in this area because it is fully available, can be used without Google Play Services, and can be distributed independently of an app store.
I'm not comparing Signal to Apple Messages, I am criticizing the promotion of Signal as a superior alternative while its developers will not address a major practical security concern.
>Users can choose an open source keyboard on Android
Then they should be made immediately aware of this in using Signal on Android. The IME issue is not going to be well-known outside the tech bubble.
> Then they should be made immediately aware of this in using Signal on Android.
Does any messaging app do this on any platform? You're demanding something that, as far as I'm aware, no messaging app currently does. Signal at least published the FAQ page, which you linked earlier, even though it's not their responsibility to ensure that the user's device is free of third-party spyware.
This entire discussion is about FaceTime and Apple Messages, which is why Signal is being compared to both. And Signal is superior to these services for privacy and security.
> Not really needed when your IME is spying on you.
Users can choose an open source keyboard on Android, such as AnySoftKeyboard or the default Android Keyboard (on AOSP installations). I don't know of any open source keyboards on the App Store for iOS, but the lack of an open source keyboard on iOS does not justify compromising encryption keys for Apple Messages users in certain regions.
Signal is not responsible for the security of the rest of the user's system, and if a user is using a keyboard that leaks information, then that also affects Apple Messages and any other app they are using, not just Signal.
> Want to also point out that months go by without server code being published
The Apple Messages server and clients are completely proprietary, so Signal is still preferable even though it had previously released server source code with a delay.
> Also, when users protested reliance on Google's store, analytics, and play services...
Apple Messages is only available as an app on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS, with no option to fork because it is closed source. FaceTime is the same, but now also has a web app with limited functionality. On Android, Signal is still preferable in this area because it is fully available, can be used without Google Play Services, and can be distributed independently of an app store.