When it comes to messaging these days, it can be hard to know which app is truly keeping your information safe and secure. For a lot of people, something like WhatsApp is more than adequate for simple messaging, but those that need a little more privacy in their life, a messaging app that features encryption is a must. Earlier this year, two of the more popular apps for secure voice calls and secure messaging, TextSecure and RedPhone, were combined into one app. That app, Signal, is now available for all Android users at long last.
The team behind Signal, Open Whisper Systems, is more than happy to know as little as possible about you and the only piece of information they ask for is your phone number, simply to get the app working. There’s no need for another email and password combo with Signal, and it’ll use your existing set of contacts. The app has been put together with some decent Material Design looks, and while the app doesn’t really do anything special outside of the likes of WhatsApp, the point is that it’s safe and secure. The less a company knows about you the better, and considering that all the messages and calls are end-to-end encrypted, this means that there’s no way that anyone at Open Whisper Systems can see what you’ve been saying.
Edward Snowden himself uses Signal, and if it’s good enough for a man that’s literally wanted by the US Government, then it’s got to be good, right? Either way, it’s freely available right now from the Play Store, and it’s open source, so anyone can see the code and make sure it’s doing nothing that it shouldn’t be doing. For a simple, secure way of messaging people and making voice calls no matter where they are around the world, Signal will get the job done with some hefty endorsements from people who matter in this space.