Yesterday I decided to create a second profile on my Pixel 5 with GrapheneOS. The idea was that I would only keep Google Play Services (GPS) and Google Play Store (GPS2) there together with WhatsApp (need it go my kids school) and bank apps, and therefore shut down second profile for most of the time. So, I deleted GPS and GPS2 on the main profile and since then, I have Signal Messaging complaining that it requires GPS. I know I ough to probably be complaining with Signal developers, but before I go down that route I just wanted to reassure myself that this is normal behaviour. Presumably, Signal is complaining that it requires GPS only because its the only way it can notify a user that an update is available? I’ve done some minimal tests and it seems to be working normally, despite GPS is not installed on the main profile. I guess I could move to SimpleX and ditch Signal but that would be tough given I spent years convincing people to move to Signal 🙂

  • shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip
    121·
    1 day ago

    No, Google Play Services in any form is spyware.

    Replace signal with molly (a signal fork). It still works with signal perfectly, but does not complain about Google Play services.

    • trilobite@lemmy.mlOP
      4·
      12 hours ago

      Molly.im does not have a lot of documentation. Does it equally rely on a centralised server? If it does, then surely one of the downsides is that there probably isn’t a huge foundation behind it ensuring the bills are paid, etc. Or is it that Molly is piggy backing on Signal servers? And is the Signal Foundation happy to be have Molly users using its services? How long before Signal Foundation kicks Molly users off it servers?

      Also I note u can download two different version: one with Google blobs and one without. What compromise do I have to make if I choose the Google version?

      • RmDebArc_5@piefed.zipEnglish
        4·
        11 hours ago

        Molly uses Signals servers, meaning you can chat with people that use Signal. As far as I know Signal does allow for third party clients, so as long as their stance doesn’t change Molly should work. Differences between the versions can be found here