I’ve been trying to find an SMS app and QUIK seems like the best option if I wanna stick with FOSS. However I’ve been thinking with all the closed source options out there with the only drawback being they usually have app tracking, could their privacy risks be mitigated by simply disabling their internet permission? The main closed source option I’ve seen talked about and have considered is Textra. The only risks I could possibly imagine are data sharing between other nonprivate apps that have internet, or the app sending out SMS secretly to transmit data. Those are both technically possible but I’m not sure how likely they are at all. I just wanted to see what other people think and use themselves and if I should still be worried at all if I revoke the internet permission.
Neither of these apps would be recommended. Unfortunately you should really use Google Messages to have RCS support.
Fossify messages is a good foss SMS app. However as mentioned above, RCS transport and possible e2ee make kt the superior option.
Google Messages for RCS unfortunately means giving Google more access to your (GrapheneOS) phone.
It requires sandboxed play services with minimum network, phone, SMS, and contact (scopes) permissions. On most carriers, it will also require device identifiers. And you’ll need to continuously opt for phone number verification with Google in your phone’s Sandboxed Google play settings.
AND this all has to happen on your Owner profile, which means it’s running all the time rather than a dedicated profile that is turned off in the background.
I’m not convinced that Google isn’t managing to do client side scanning of your messages even if promising E2EE RCS. You already have to give them access to the necessary permissions just to get Google Messages and RCS to work.
I’m not saying not to do it. I’m currently using this RCS setup on my GrapheneOS phone. But I am constantly questioning if this is a net positive or net negative as far as privacy is concerned.
If you are questioning whether trusting Google with various privileges on a GrapheneOS phone is warranted, then it is probably time to critically think about your decisions and situation holistically with new weights.
Yeah and ypu shouldnt use sms lol
I’ve given up on QUIK and Google Messages and have just settled back into the stock GrapheneOS messaging app. I don’t use it much anyway.
I know it’s not high on their priority list, but hopefully it gets a revamp one day. I would like them to add the ability to pin a message to the top - it can’t be that hard to add.
They are actually currently in the process of a full rewrite to Kotlin/Compose. There’s a couple places you can keep an eye on, but mainly just the issues and pull requests in the messaging repo. They just merged their first PR yesterday, but obviously be patient they’ll probably announce it on their Twitter/X and in their forum when it’s ready.
To add to this they do have future plans to add RCS E2EE as stated on their Twitter/X:
We’re open to collaboration but it’s not clear in what way we could work together. We do plan to make an SMS/MMS/RCS app supporting MLS end-to-end encryption for RCS compatible with Google Messages and future iOS MLS support. That would not be a Signal alternative/competitor.
Off-topic
They are also working on changing gallery apps to IacobIonut01’s ReFra, GOS Gallery repo.