My niece has an old iphone with no SIM/phone number. Only wifi internet access.

Looking for an app for both of us to be able to chat

She cant chat with me over signal because no phonee number. She chats with the rest of the family over imessage, but i have an android phone

Is there an app available for both android and iphone to let me chat with her?

Thanks

Edit: willing to self-host for extra privacy. My nieces and nephews are all young children so i definitely want to encourage/educate them to get off corporate controlled communications channels

    • Dragonish@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      9·
      9 months ago

      To expand with my personal experience, I self host a synapse server partly for the reason that i want my children (aged 8-14 now) to have a communication platform they can access to get ahold of me with out requireing a sim card. I do not federate, and i do not allow account sign ups. That keeps a pretty isolated instance while still allowing everyone on that homeserver to be able to talk to each other.

      I help them get Element setup on each device. I dont think this is overly complicated, but i am sure i am a horrible judge of complexity… They have to enter the url of the server, then their password, then they need to scan a qr code/verify from an existing device. Or, they need to enter a second passcode to verify their identity. I help them keep those secrets in bitwarden, so imo, that complexity is an opportunity to explain some opsec and encryption!

      • shortwavesurfer@monero.townEnglish
        45·
        9 months ago

        That gets really complicated with room keys and stuff though. So it’s not particularly user friendly.

  • grilledcheesecowboy@kbin.social
    16·
    9 months ago

    My friends and I all use Simplex and have been very happy. There’s an annoying feature where messages in group chats are sometimes delivered out of order, but it’s easy enough to live with.

  • Evotech@lemmy.world
    195·
    9 months ago

    “I remember my uncle, he used to force us to use some janky app to talk to him because he was afraid of the big corporations spying on him”

  • Atemu@lemmy.ml
    62·
    9 months ago

    Signal v7 with username IDs is right around the corner. I’d suggest you wait a few weeks if you can.

  • Zachariah@lemmy.world
    73·
    9 months ago

    Threema.

    It costs $5 dollars, so you’re less likely to be the product. Highly private. Includes some open source code. Audited. Android and iOS. Doesn’t require phone number.

    Here are the settings I recommend during first setup: Tap next instead of making a Threema Safe password Tap next instead of entering your phone number Turn off “Sync contacts”

  • dracs@programming.devEnglish
    4·
    9 months ago

    FYI, last week someone saw that Signal merged in code for username (no phone number) support. So it might not be long until you see a beta release which allows you to sign up without a phone number.

  • Raxiel@lemmy.world
    41·
    9 months ago

    I’m aware of the community this is posted in, but my kid talks to her grandparents via the chat features in Google photos. Works over WiFi with specific contacts and no phone number required. It lets her show them pictures she’s drawn.
    Google are involved of course, but there’s no algorithm pushing promoted posts or any of that BS

    • glasgitarrewelt@feddit.de
      32·
      9 months ago

      Wow, I am so so much against your suggestion, but I have to upvote you, for your bravery.

      To add something constructive: The app Element as a Matrix client works good for me.

  • lemmyreader@lemmy.mlEnglish
    3·
    9 months ago

    With Signal you only need a SIM card to register the account via the Signal app on the phone. You can receive the SMS for registering on another phone. After registering you can simply use Signal over WiFi. If this is too difficult, XMPP with a good OMEMO client for E2EE is an option. Easiest to install and start with is perhaps DeltaChat, E2EE chat via email : https://delta.chat/en/ You only need to learn what to do if the E2EE is not working right away. They have a FAQ and hints in the app.

    • leanleft@lemmy.mlEnglish
      1·
      9 months ago

      if you use textfree, you can probably register on signal with a fake-as-fuck phone number. but i think textfree requires a valid phone number for that.
      very sucky to have to do all that.