The in-vogue instant messaging app Signal has rolled out another update for Apple iPhone users, a few days after another important update rolled out. These updates now bring Signal up to version 5.3 and the new Signal update is now available for download from the Apple App Store. This comes at a time when the privacy focussed Signal is clocking a significant number of new users globally, as many users look for alternatives to the Facebook owned WhatsApp, which recently announced its new privacy policy that hasn’t impressed many users with the handling and sharing of data with Facebook—WhatsApp has since delayed the implementation of the new policy, but it can safely be called a deferred dodging of the bullet. The new Signal version 5.3 update brings new features such as improvements to individual chat customizations, an updated About section, updates for the call functionality and better handling of downloads.
The changelog for the Signal update for the Apple iPhone indicates that there is now a new setting for lowering the data usage for Signal calls. This should be handy in case you are using Signal for making calls, while on a 3G or 4G network, or even a not-very-fast Wi-Fi. The attachment downloads now get the pause and resume feature, which means you can choose when to download a large attachment that someone may have shared over Signal. Signal also says that they have further improved the image compression and quality algorithms, which means that image quality will not be lost when it is shared on Signal. On the iPhone, Signal chats will now be part of the share sheet on iOS for iPhones, when you want to share something from another app. Chat wallpapers have also been introduced, something rival WhatsApp has had for a while now. The About section has also been expanded, while in the chat list previews, you can now see the sender’s name in group chats to help you decide which threads to open and respond to first.
For Android phone users, Signal is currently in version 5.2.3 and the last update for the app added new functionality and bug fixes. There are improvements to the status bar that now only appears when you need it. There are also changes to how the profile photos of your contacts show up in the Signal app with the option of choosing system profile photos set in your phone contacts or choose their latest Signal profile pics. In a video call, you can tap on your face to get a full screen view of how others will be seeing you. the Signal update for Android also adds the setting for lower data usage during calls.
A few days ago, Signal for the iPhone had received the version 5.2 update. That update expanded the Signal group calls functionality to include 8 participants, up from 5 earlier. If you want to share something from another app, you can now do so with multiple chats or contacts in one go. There will now also be an optional shortcut to enable a shareable group link when you create a new group.The new Signal update for the iPhone also adds the ability to open attachments within the app itself. There are also changes to how the profile photos of your contacts show up in the Signal app. There are also improvements to the video quality and size of the videos shared on the platform. There is also a specific update for Apple iPad users—the latest version of Signal irons out the bug that prevented iPad users from tapping on the Send option when sharing content from other apps. For iPhone and iPad users, there is also a bug fix that now solves the issue of WebP images not being transferred on chats properly when using iOS 14.
Signal remains the most popular app on the Apple App Store and is the top trending app on the Google Play Store in many countries. Signal’s and indeed Telegram’s spike in new user sign-ups shouldn’t come as a surprise. The Facebook owned WhatsApp announced the new Privacy Policy and Terms of Use on January 7 with pop-up alerts for users in the WhatsApp app, something that did nothing to assuage the fears about user data tracking and sharing. Signal continues to be the most popular app on the Apple App Store for iPhone users in many countries, including India. Signal is followed by Telegram, another privacy focused messaging app, as spooked WhatsApp users look for alternatives after the new privacy policy worsened fears about data tracking and sharing with Facebook.
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