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Signal Secure Backups

(signal.org)
988 points keyboardJones | 10 comments | 08 Sep 25 16:43 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source | bottom
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gardnr ◴[08 Sep 25 18:22 UTC] No.45171893[source]▶
I am happy to see Signal charging for premium features.

From a product perspective, being able to switch between two iOS devices without a 3rd iOS device shouldn’t be a premium feature.

Please consider enabling local backup and restore for a single Signal instance on iOS.

replies(1): >>45175094 #
palata ◴[08 Sep 25 22:44 UTC] No.45175094[source]▶
> being able to switch between two iOS devices without a 3rd iOS device

I have moved Signal from an iOS device to a new iOS device multiple times. Why do you need a 3rd one?

replies(1): >>45176740 #
gardnr ◴[09 Sep 25 02:35 UTC] No.45176740[source]▶
I have two phone numbers.
replies(1): >>45179383 #
1. palata ◴[09 Sep 25 08:56 UTC] No.45179383[source]▶
On the same iOS device? I didn't know that iPhones supported multiple SIMs!
replies(2): >>45181140 #>>45187117 #
2. Y-bar ◴[09 Sep 25 12:39 UTC] No.45181140[source]▶
It's eSIM: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/119606
replies(1): >>45182788 #
3. palata ◴[09 Sep 25 14:55 UTC] No.45182788[source]▶
Still, didn't know it was possible to have multiple numbers on the same iPhone :D
replies(1): >>45187170 #
4. gardnr ◴[09 Sep 25 19:07 UTC] No.45187117[source]▶
Yeah! You can have many eSIMs, but the iPhone only has two radios, so only two SIMs can be "active" (connected to towers) at any time.

Signal doesn't support multiple phone numbers on the same device. I have two phones:

1. Old iPhone: +55-555-5555

2. New iPhone: +1-867-5309

I would prefer to have the numbers swapped on the devices. There isn't a way to do this without "transferring"[1] the messages to a 3rd iOS device.

This is an awkward edge-case that would be ameliorated by allowing local file backup / restore.

https://support.signal.org/hc/en-us/articles/360007059752-Ba...

replies(1): >>45189118 #
5. gardnr ◴[09 Sep 25 19:10 UTC] No.45187170{3}[source]▶
It's been a very pro-user development. You can buy an eSIM using an app these days. So when you travel, you can just download an eSIM for the country you are visiting if your home provider doesn't offer competitive international packages.
replies(1): >>45189100 #
6. palata ◴[09 Sep 25 21:04 UTC] No.45189100{4}[source]▶
I must have been living under a rock, I didn't know that.

So you're saying that I can buy a cheap eSIM for just a couple weeks in a country? Don't they require to verify my identity and all that?

replies(2): >>45190024 #>>45193312 #
7. palata ◴[09 Sep 25 21:05 UTC] No.45189118[source]▶
> This is an awkward edge-case that would be ameliorated by allowing local file backup / restore.

Feels like it would be better to support multiple phone numbers on the same device. But yeah... that's work and probably not a super common use-case.

8. gardnr ◴[09 Sep 25 22:11 UTC] No.45190024{5}[source]▶
I don’t know how it works but I would guess that the KYC stuff happens with the resellers (who make the apps). So the resellers have some due diligence of identity verification then they make some guarantees to the telcos. Otherwise, it would be a vector for scams and crime.
9. AnonC ◴[10 Sep 25 04:31 UTC] No.45193312{5}[source]▶
Identity verification depends on the country. In certain cases there may be limitations. There are many eSIM sellers, like Airalo, Jetpac, Saily, Holafly and more. You can buy the eSIM with an eSIM package (for data, mostly, but some also sell voice/SMS) for a country or region, activate it (or wait for it to activate when the phone connects to a local network at the destination) and use it.

It’s so simple and convenient. Once you’ve returned back, you don’t necessarily have to delete the eSIM from the device. The iPhone models that have had eSIM support allow you to have a total of eight eSIMs on the device. You can activate (i.e., turn on) only two lines at any point in time.

So even if you have two numbers where you live, you can turn one off, use that slot and turn on your travel eSIM and then later switch back.

All the eSIM sellers provide clear and detailed instructions on how to install and activate the eSIM.

replies(1): >>45196446 #
10. palata ◴[10 Sep 25 12:03 UTC] No.45196446{6}[source]▶
That's really cool! I'll try that next time I travel in a different country instead of buying an expensive data package to my provider!!!