[nicce]

Facebook (Meta) is still the biggest competitor. WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram DMs.

[Tepix]

WhatsApp is subsidized by Facebook.

Threema is a better comparison. They offer a commercial, ad-free product with E2E for a one-time fee of 3.99€ in the iOS app store. They also don't sell your address book or other data. They don't even have your phone number.

[egberts1]

That part about YOUR phone number that Apple will not have must be a lie.

If you head over to the Apple App store and pull up Threema privacy policy:

Threema has your CONTACT INFO identifiable to you, if you installed their app.

And I don’t know many people who wont put the phone number down for its contact info.

[EVa5I7bHFq9mnYK]

There is absolutely no need for a phone number. ICQ in 1996 did not require any phone number to chat.

[egberts1]

Agreed. Unfortunately, Contact Info that Threema gave to Apple has your phone number.

Threema COULD turn that privacy feature around themselves, but … no: it’s a business model. n

[toyg]

If that's the case, any price is a losing proposition - since you're competing with free. Users don't do business-case analysis, they barely compare features. I'm not sure the Signal features can easily justify $5 over FB/WA/Insta.