Using the preinstalled Google services effectively turns your smartphone into spyware. In the standard Android that comes preinstalled on most smartphones, Google services run with system privileges and can collect all kinds of data including location data. If Signal exclusively supports this, it reinforces dependence on Google and discourages people from using versions of Android that don’t include Google’s spyware.
Then don't do that?
Install vanilla LineageOS or GrapheneOS with no GApps. Then install Signal from https://signal.org/android/apk/
The whole point is that it's unusable without Google services due to battery drain. Meta got it right with WhatsApp and a battery-efficient WebSockets implementation for notifications without Google services, but Signal's implementation is poor.
This is an exaggerated take. I've been running Signal on LineageOS for years across at least 5 different phones in exactly this manner with no Google services installed. I'm currently using a Motorola G84 and charge every 2 days with moderate usage; Signal is my primary communication method with family.
The G84 has a very good battery by default though, judging from its predecessor. It can take some additional strain. Something weaker will suffer more.
I have run Signal on LineageOS or GrapheneOS for nearly a decade, no Google services, and I have always had satisfactory battery life, i.e. ~2 days of normal use.
I bought a PinePhone, so I definitely know what truly unoptimized battery life looks like, lol.
This was never an issue with my Pixel. Using my pixel with graphene without google play services resulted in better battery life than stock.
Signal on GrapheneOS with no Google anything here, and it works great.
That doesn't address the criticism that this thread started with:
Unified Push, which works flawlessly on Molly, could easily be implemented in the regular client.
It's a moot point, as Signal isn't going to support self-hosted notification servers any more than it'll support self-hosted communication servers.
Signal works without GMS or any alternative, at the cost of more phone wakeups. This is much more preferable to everyone whose WiFi or data service you use see you connect to "push.myownname.com", or for you to rely in some rando gatekeeping your message delivery.
> everyone whose WiFi or data service you use see you connect to "push.myownname.com"
Mozilla has one. Hell, Signal _themselves_ could host a UnifiedPush server. Not an excuse to say 'you use Google or our app uses 10x the battery'.
OK, that's a fair point.
But not providing one does seem to follow with their "be a normie as much as possible in order to not stand out" mantra, even if (to me) providing that extra service for non-GMS users seems harmless. Maybe it's not, I don't know.
Anyway, however much more battery it uses, from my experience, it hasn't been an inconvenience, the phone still lasts a couple of days without charging.
There is no reasonable reason why they shouldn't support it. Having my cell phone battery drain faster is a much bigger drawback for me than simply hosting my own push server at home.
I'm not sure if the comment above you is correct, but if it is (meaning Signal would benefit from the anonymity of every client being the same/similar, like TOR), then this would go against that.
That being said, I've never heard this mentioned as a benefit of Signal, and I figured the main benefit was y'know robust and proven E2E encryption.