GrapheneOS Rebuilds Its Messaging App, Aims to Cut Google Out of RCS
GrapheneOS Overhauled Default Apps and Secure Clipboard
GrapheneOS is overhauling its bundled apps, starting with a complete rewrite of its Messaging app in Android Compose, releasing later today. The team plans to add RCS support with end-to-end encryption via MLS, aiming to eventually replace Google Messages and reduce dependence on Google and carrier infrastructure. They're also replacing the outdated AOSP Gallery and possibly the keyboard, with new hires accelerating progress.
RCS isn't an open platform in practice. It isn't even as open as SMS/MMS. It heavily depends on proprietary Google and carrier infrastructure in practice.
- cwillu
“We'll be making a new release later today with a completely overhauled user interface written in ‹whatever›” is something developers love, and users fear.
- pizzaiolo
Graphene is clearly bullish on Android, but I have no idea why. The writing is on the wall, Google is slowly asphyxiating AOSP.
- lucb1e
Ctrl+f clipboard, no results. What does "Secure Clipboard" in the title refer to?
The release seems to be only the SMS/RCS app, rest is future:
> We're also going to be overhauling or fully replacing the rest of the AOSP apps in the near future. AOSP Gallery is incredibly outdated and is being entirely replaced. AOSP Keyboard may be similar. We recently hired a bunch of new people and will be hiring more so our progress will be accelerating.
- ravenstine
I hope they replace the AOSP keyboard with FUTO keyboard. I'm mostly fine with the other stock apps, but that keyboard was the one thing I absolutely had to end up replacing due to its jenky behavior.
- goda90
I believe this is the planned gallery app. I've already been using it: https://github.com/IacobIonut01/ReFra
- Cider9986
twitter versions have paragraphs not threads
https://xcancel.com/GrapheneOS/status/2096677808424788256#m
https://nitter.click/GrapheneOS/status/2096677808424788256#m
https://bsky.app/profile/grapheneos.org/post/3muun5c4fdc2o
Secure paste:
https://xcancel.com/GrapheneOS/status/2096685327020933355#m
https://nitter.click/GrapheneOS/status/2096685327020933355#m
- drnick1
Certainly, with Opus 5 and GPT-6, modernizing or even completely rewriting self-contained, non-critical tools seems like a Friday afternoon job now. I wonder however how important this is, in the grand scheme of things. I use GrapheneOS and the bundled messaging app is serviceable. It isn't pretty, but it gets the job done.
- kotaKat
"RCS isn't an open platform in practice. It isn't even as open as SMS/MMS. It heavily depends on proprietary Google and carrier infrastructure in practice. We can start by replicating Google's approach and then we can work on only using carrier services for carriers where it's actually supported."
Except... what carriers still remain using their own RCS carrier services and haven't been pressured by Google to adopt Jive?