You should keep an eye on this: [Feature Request] UnifiedPush · Issue #1081 · simplex-chat/simplex-chat · GitHub
3 Likes
I have to agree with @mentalfoss here,
If SimpleX is even to become mass adopted, it needs to fix it’s battery problem and be usable on android in always connected mode (instant notification). The current always enable consume too much battery to be usable by everybody.
Unified push, or periodic check will not fix this, because this will not be usable by the majority of people. I sure won’t install a unifiedPush server to handle simplex, and my family don’t have the know to nor the will.
Remember, it’s already hard enough to switch people to a different messenger. If I also need to tell them
- it kills your battery
- or I cannot answer your call, cause I’m in periodic check mode due to battery issue
- or you need to install X/UnifiedPush to have a better experience
I won’t be able to migrate my contact with those bad point. If it’s not good enough for the majority of people, with default options, I won’t be able to use the tool with more people.
I had to search for a while, but found the quote I was looking for in this link. It was an interesting link that stayed in my head for a while. SimpleX do things differently, and can properly explain why, and that makes it interesting.
Mass adoption requires a “whole product”, to make this product attractive and usable for majority of the users 9. For example, many people say that the absence of built-in stickers in SimpleX Chat is a blocker for adoption, and therefore, counterintuitively, we will need to add stickers to make it more private.
Right now, I have a very limited use of simplex, and I am waiting for more battery optimization for another push to migrate my contact.
3 Likes
On the technical side, if my understanding is correct, SimpleX should be no different than having 10 emails account with instant notification. It can be done, my fairEmail does have a couple of watched emails and done not consume much battery. SimpleX is simply in a different position than most messaging app, becauses it uses decentralized server for the messaging. The more you have contact, the more you have servers you need to connect for instant notification. Removing the decentralization goes against contact tracing (, one of the key aspect of their offering, so it’s not something that will be easy to do. They just need to put the time required to rework the android instant notification part to not prevent sleep, while keeping 10 connection open.
Did you try using Signal without Google Play Services? The battery consumption is absolutely awful.
SimpleX could also start using FCM, but they don’t want to for some very valid reasons, and I fully support that. It doesn’t make sense to build a tool that will rely on Google’s proprietary junkware.
1 Like
Thanks, I did not know that signal had the same issue, when not using the FCM. I guess I will need to set a realistic baseline when comparing simplex notifications. I was sure it would not have had any issue because of its leader position.
here is a good baseline: Conversations with multiple accounts routed via onion over two days, notifications are always instant: 5% usage
1 Like
It is actually fine but you have to install signal using the apk directly from the website, not the play store.
imo the webrtc? fallback version is always quite delayed and will miss messages/calls upwards of 15 minutes.
here is the link fwiw, it is hidden for 
reasons, Signal >> Signal Android APK
2 Likes
That is what I was experiencing with the play store version, once installed the apk I had no issue.