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

  • grilledcheesecowboy@kbin.social
    13·
    2 years 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
    163·
    2 years 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”

  • lemmyreader@lemmy.mlEnglish
    3·
    2 years 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·
      2 years 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.

  • Zachariah@lemmy.world
    63·
    2 years 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”

  • solrize@lemmy.world
    3·
    2 years ago

    I’ve used a self hosted Nextcloud for that. It’s not great but it worked well enough that I didn’t bother looking for better alternatives. I’m sure there are more options out there.

    • 9488fcea02a9@sh.itjust.worksOP
      3·
      2 years ago

      Hmmmm… I already have a nextcloud instance running… This is probably the most frictionless option for me…

      I’ll look into NC talk on iphone for her. Thanks!

  • Raxiel@lemmy.world
    42·
    2 years 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
      41·
      2 years 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.

  • Atemu@lemmy.ml
    42·
    2 years ago

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

  • AtariDump@lemmy.world
    1·
    2 years ago

    Buy an iPhone.

    Yeah, yeah. I know. You may not like it (or do it) but you asked for options and it’s an option.