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Whatsapp vs Signal - Why aren't more on signal?

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2

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    #32
    RangeR
    Registered Users Posts: 7,265 ✭✭✭RangeR


    I used to use Signal exclusively for SMS / web chat [as well as FB Messenger / Whatsapp]. Basically, I had to install whatever app my buds were using as they weren't techy enough to switch [they just want what works and are afraid of change] until...

    Whatsapp banned me from their network during the verification process. They claimed I broke their T's & C's. In reality, I had Signal installed with a passcode. WhatsApp couldn't read the verification SMS so I had to swap between apps, entering passwords etc. Eventually, and without warning, WA kicked me off their network. I tried to appeal it but they weren't having it. The script monkeys just read out their script.

    I still used Signal and still use WA but had to move away from Signal as I moved into Community [Cardiac] First Responder and Signal wasn't compatible with the emergency test system we set up. It was hard to switch back to stock SMS app but also an easy choice.

    I still use Signal for non SMS chat but mainly only with tech buds.


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    #33
    RangeR
    Registered Users Posts: 7,265 ✭✭✭RangeR


    dubrov wrote: »
    It's not because it's unknown. It's because it was late to the party. Signal is only unknown because no one is using it.

    Whatsapp has pretty much hoovered up the whole market already. Peuple are very slow to change.

    With the greatest of respect, WhatsApp was an unknown when it came to the party, with loads of other chat offerings. However, they did get known, and pretty quickly, I believe. Maybe it was their advertising, I dunno. It also wasn't free. You had to hand over a couple of quid every year to stay connected. It's free now but people did pay.

    Signal is free. So why doesn't it gain traction? It's almost [or is] feature par with WA.


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    #34
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    RangeR wrote: »
    With the greatest of respect, WhatsApp was an unknown when it came to the party, with loads of other chat offerings. However, they did get known, and pretty quickly, I believe. Maybe it was their advertising, I dunno. It also wasn't free. You had to hand over a couple of quid every year to stay connected. It's free now but people did pay.

    Signal is free. So why doesn't it gain traction? It's almost [or is] feature par with WA.

    It's timing. WhatsApp was at a good time and there's no reason to switch.


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    #35
    manonboard
    Registered Users Posts: 1,102 ✭✭✭manonboard


    i think its peer pressure in the most natural of ways.

    When i exchange a number with someone, its nearly always someone saying "yeah.. whatsapp me and we'll arrange something".

    It means two things to me
    1: I dont like calls so please just text
    2: I'm using whatsapp

    Unless a girl says something like "signal me" or a friend says "ill set up a signal group and we'll arrange it then with everyone"..
    then signal just hasnt a hope.

    I guess its just a monopoly.
    Like WeeChat in china.. it would be just impossible to compete.

    Its not about the feature or tech for signal. it HAS to have the same features else its inferior, but its still inferior in use because whatsapp was first to market with it all, and didnt BeBo it like Viber did.


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    #36
    BaronVon
    Registered Users Posts: 1,647 ✭✭✭BaronVon


    I have Signal for years, but nobody I know really uses it. Whatsapp does all the basics, so not much need for anything else. I'd never heard of Telegram until this post, and I see there's a create a poll option, so I'll certainly be downloading that!


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    #37
    _Whimsical_
    Registered Users Posts: 7,955 ✭✭✭_Whimsical_


    Signal in the only messenger app that Edward Snowden will use due to his confidence in their commitment to real privacy for users. Whatsapp is owned by Facebook who've demonstrated no real interest in protecting users. That's the reason to switch to it. It's surprising with that sort of endorsement that it hasn't exploded, at least among nerdier more tech-savvy types.

    In truth though literally everyone and their mother has WhatsApp etc and there's a generation of people, like older parents, who will not switch now. Viber and WhatsApp launched at the right time and they'd have to do something terrible now to lose traction in the market. Signal doesn't provide some of the features some love, and others hate, in those messaging apps too. There's no "last active at x time" and notifying you that your message was read is only a recent addition to the app. It's not AS social media-esque in that sense.


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    #38
    The high horse brigade
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,456 ✭✭✭The high horse brigade


    Russia banned Telegram because they wouldn't hand them over the crypto keys to allow them access to encrypted messages. The CEO of Telegram shipped them a physical lock key saying this was the only key they'd ever get :D


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    #39
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    I genuinely couldn't give a **** who wants to sit in a dark room and read my WhatsApp messages. I don't have any state secrets I send around.

    If you want to tell someone something you desperately don't want anyone else to ever know, tell them in person in a room free of electronic devices.

    Everyone uses WhatsApp. Why endure months trying to get everyone to change over to a new service when WhatsApp does everything i/we need from a messaging service.


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    #40
    Suckit
    Registered Users Posts: 11,215 ✭✭✭✭Suckit


    It's not about somebody reading your messages.
    It's about data harvesting, marketing and basic privacy (and a lot more). It is also about they way that they decide to use the aforementioned data, they can use it ways to manipulate users etc.


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    #41
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    Suckit wrote: »
    It's not about somebody reading your messages.
    It's about data harvesting, marketing and basic privacy (and a lot more). It is also about they way that they decide to use the aforementioned data, they can use it ways to manipulate users etc.

    Again, I don't care.

    If you want a guarantee of privacy, talk to the person face to face .If you believe something else is more secure and will stay like that and be good forever just because they tell you they are, best of luck to you.


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    #42
    Guy:Incognito
    Registered Users Posts: 38,247 ✭✭✭✭Guy:Incognito


    I just installed it there to see how many people in my contacts (dont think I've every deleted anyone from my Google contacts so hundreds of people ) have signal.

    2.

    I'll stick to WhatsApp.


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    #43
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    Suckit wrote: »
    It's not about somebody reading your messages.
    It's about data harvesting, marketing and basic privacy (and a lot more). It is also about they way that they decide to use the aforementioned data, they can use it ways to manipulate users etc.

    If it's only data harvesting and marketing then that's even better then. Nothing to hide so I'll always go for convenience.


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    #44
    Suckit
    Registered Users Posts: 11,215 ✭✭✭✭Suckit


    Patww79 wrote: »
    If it's only data harvesting and marketing then that's even better then. Nothing to hide so I'll always go for convenience.


    Yep, that's all it is.

    I managed to include all the issues that everybody has and that signal is able to help users become less concerned about, in one sentence.
    I.am.genius.


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    #45
    GBX
    Registered Users Posts: 11,927 ✭✭✭✭GBX


    Installed signal and it chose my profile pic from WhatsApp. Maybe I'm being paranoid but why did it choose the pic from the only place I use it. I get allowing files to be accessed has something to do with it but its very specific going to the WhatsApp folder no ?


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    #46
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    Guy:Incognito wrote: »
    I just installed it there to see how many people in my contacts (dont think I've every deleted anyone from my Google contacts so hundreds of people ) have signal.

    2.

    I'll stick to WhatsApp.

    Did the exact same. Uninstalled straight away.


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    #47
    Franz Von Peppercorn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,070 ✭✭✭Franz Von Peppercorn


    RangeR wrote: »
    With the greatest of respect, WhatsApp was an unknown when it came to the party, with loads of other chat offerings. However, they did get known, and pretty quickly, I believe. Maybe it was their advertising, I dunno. It also wasn't free. You had to hand over a couple of quid every year to stay connected. It's free now but people did pay.

    Signal is free. So why doesn't it gain traction? It's almost [or is] feature par with WA.

    WhatsApp wasn’t late to the mobile party. It started as an iOS app that merely told you what other iOS users of the app were doing. Then it added chat, moved to android, was bought.

    As it grew on mobile platforms it undercut messaging on desktops. This was all probably luck. The first app was trivial.

    There’s never any real technical reason - it’s just networking affects. And unless the new app has much better features nobody will change.


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    #48
    Sirius Boner
    Closed Accounts Posts: 412 ✭✭Sirius Boner


    Guy:Incognito wrote: »
    I just installed it there to see how many people in my contacts (dont think I've every deleted anyone from my Google contacts so hundreds of people ) have signal.

    2.

    I'll stick to WhatsApp.

    I installed it just to have a look-see... 0 contacts using it... I think I'd have a better chance of converting the world's muslims to Christianity than getting people to use this over WhatsApp


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    #49
    shmeee
    Registered Users Posts: 8,651 ✭✭✭shmeee


    Basil3 wrote: »
    I could never understand WhatsApp over Viber. WhatsApp always depends on an active internet connection on your phone, whereas you can still send Viber messages from your laptop or whatever even if your phone is dead. On top of that, there's features like Viber Out and editing messages.

    At this point, it will be very difficult for WhatsApp to be knocked off its perch.

    Ever try WhatsApp web?

    https://web.whatsapp.com/

    I use it a good bit on the PC, just sync up phone with it. Very handy for sending documents etc from the PC.


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    #50
    Blacktie.
    Registered Users Posts: 2,903 ✭✭✭Blacktie.


    shmeee wrote: »
    Ever try WhatsApp web?

    https://web.whatsapp.com/

    I use it a good bit on the PC, just sync up phone with it. Very handy for sending documents etc from the PC.

    You still need active internet on your phone to use this.


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    #51
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    Basil3 wrote: »
    I could never understand WhatsApp over Viber. WhatsApp always depends on an active internet connection on your phone, whereas you can still send Viber messages from your laptop or whatever even if your phone is dead. On top of that, there's features like Viber Out and editing messages.

    At this point, it will be very difficult for WhatsApp to be knocked off its perch.

    Hangouts was better at this as it didn't look like it was designed for a 3 year old like Viber is.


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    #52
    incentsitive
    Registered Users Posts: 436 ✭✭incentsitive


    LotharIngum wrote: »
    A friend of mine decided to stop using WhatsApp.

    He sent everyone a last WhatsApp with a link to signal and explained why he was leaving WhatsApp and that he would now be on signal.

    Everyone just decided, one bloody messaging service is enough and didn't bother with signal.

    After about two weeks he tried to get us all to leave signal again.

    Then after another week he was feeling left out as no one went to signal and hes back on WhatsApp.

    He probably realised that nobody cared enough about staying in touch with him to download another app to do so.


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    #53
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Patww79 wrote: »
    Hangouts was better at this as it didn't look like it was designed for a 3 year old like Viber is.

    I don't mind the design of Viber. The purple might not be to everyone's taste, but it's a nicer design than Whatsapp, and more customisable.

    I was an extremely heavy user of Hangouts, and still use it with a group of my Android modding geek buddies. They're about the only ones still using it, though.


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    #54
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    Basil3 wrote: »
    I don't mind the design of Viber. The purple might not be to everyone's taste, but it's a nicer design than Whatsapp, and more customisable.

    I was an extremely heavy user of Hangouts, and still use it with a group of my Android modding geek buddies. They're about the only ones still using it, though.

    It never had a chance once it went off the list of preinstalled apps manufacturers had to bundle. Actually these days they probably can't force any to be bundled, in the EU anyway.

    Me and the Mrs always used Hangouts as I'd have been on a Windows PC or tablet a lot but now that it's going we've just started to use Whatsapp.


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    #55
    Lucas Hood
    Registered Users Posts: 7,205 ✭✭✭Lucas Hood


    Never hears of signal till now.

    Not one of my contacts are on it.

    Wish more used telegram. Telegram x is brilliant app.


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    #56
    Cienciano
    Registered Users Posts: 14,234 ✭✭✭✭Cienciano


    demanufactured wrote: »
    Far too many messaging apps about these days.
    I stretch as far as Facebook messenger.


    I agree with the first bit. Pretty much everyone uses whatsapp, I know 1 person who still use viber and of course my parents who are in their late 60's still use SMS messages.
    But facebook messanger is something I would never have on my phone. I've never had any facebook app, first thing I do with a new phone if facebook is preinstalled is disable the app.


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    #57
    Dravokivich
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    Sirius Boner wrote: »
    Viber is today's bebo unfortunately, it's more about stickers and aimed at the tween market these days

    I used to get a ton of spam on Viber and only used it once for someone to send me something, because they used Viber.

    It was just so bizarre. I'd rather just stick with the one thing. If someone isn't on whatsapp, I'd just send an sms instead. Not a big deal really.


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    #58
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,924 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    Cienciano wrote: »
    I agree with the first bit. Pretty much everyone uses whatsapp, I know 1 person who still use viber and of course my parents who are in their late 60's still use SMS messages.
    But facebook messanger is something I would never have on my phone. I've never had any facebook app, first thing I do with a new phone if facebook is preinstalled is disable the app.

    WhatsApp is a Facebook app.


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    #59
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    Del2005 wrote: »
    WhatsApp is a Facebook app.

    Not in the sense that it runs the battery down on your device to the same extent the main Facebook or Messenger apps do.


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    #60
    GBX
    Registered Users Posts: 11,927 ✭✭✭✭GBX


    Whatsapp is owned by Facebook. It wasnt started by them. Its quite different to the FB Messenger as Patww79 has said.


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    #61
    OldMrBrennan83
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,658 ✭✭✭✭OldMrBrennan83


    I'm sure Facebook get lots of data from it, it's why they bought it and why they're in business at all, but at least so far the app itself has been left alone for the most part and didn't go visit like Viber or something.

    That said, ads surely can't be far away.


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