Signal: Messenger brings time-controlled voice messages
Signal updates its messenger software. It can now send time-controlled voice messages on Android, for example.
(Image: Camilo Concha/Shutterstock.com)
After scandalous reports about Signal and the messengers derived from it dominated the news recently, there is now more normal news about the software again. The manufacturer has announced an update that will enable Signal to learn how to send timed voice messages, for example, as well as improving other functions and correcting errors.
The open-source messenger can now record voice messages on Android and send them automatically at a later time, explains the Signal Foundation. This is useful for birthday wishes, for example. In Android in particular, the developers have also improved accessibility in an unspecified way and fixed various small bugs.
Signal displays shared groups
It is now easy to see which groups contacts are logged into together. This should make it easier to verify the identity of contacts, for example. In this context, Signal mentions the risk of phishing attacks.
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There are not only improvements under Android, the programmers have also thought of iOS users. They benefit from a better selection of images and media. This is due to the use of iOS's native media display, Signal explains. There were also numerous bug fixes in iOS that were not explained in detail.
In general, the Signal developers have carried out initial preparatory work for an upcoming feature: An end-to-end encrypted backup should be available in the foreseeable future. The versions with the new functions and improvements are Signal 7.41 for Android and 7.57 for iOS. They will be distributed to all Signal users shortly, as usual via the respective app stores of the operating system environment.
It was only on Tuesday of this week that the Signal Foundation spoke out. However, this concerned security problems with messengers derived from Signal's open source sources. The US government had used the TeleMessage derivative for confidential messaging, which contained hard-coded access data to the company's servers, for example. This allowed unauthorized persons to break in. TeleMessage has discontinued the service for the time being. Signal explained that it could not vouch for the security of such derivatives.
(dmk)
