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Breaking Up with Google Play: Why Conversations Is Now Free

708 points · 296 comments · ezst

mawise · 1790434390 · focus · HN ↗
I get excited every time I learn about another E2EE messaging app where the server can be self-hosted. But as I understand it, the server that triggers push notifications for any android app must be hard-coded into the app's binary. Are there any good architectural workarounds for this? I've read a little bit about VAPID[1] but I don't know if it is actually a viable approach and I don't think I've ever seen it promoted in an E2EE messaging app with a self-hosted server.
[1] (Disclosure: the AI gave me this link) <a href="https://unifiedpush.org/news/20250131_push_for_decentralized/" rel="nofollow">https://unifiedpush.org/news/20250131_push_for_decentralized...
1. achempion · 1790437393 · focus · HN ↗
  It's possible for the app to poll the server for new messages. iOS also supports light background work that can poll server from time to time and trigger notification on the device, rather than using apple's push notification infra.
  The trade off is that you gain some extra privacy with simpler architecture and accept that some notifications will be delayed as ios decides when to run the bg job for the app.
  source: I develop e2e app with self-hostable server (145 lines of zero deps python for the whole server).
  1. boundlessdreamz · 1790442441 · focus · HN ↗
    How do you trigger that in iOS? iOS can decide not to trigger it all from what I have read - <a href="https://mertbulan.com/dont-rely-on-bgapprefreshtask-for-your-apps-business-logic/" rel="nofollow">https://mertbulan.com/dont-rely-on-bgapprefreshtask-for-your...
    Even Android is not predicatable from my testing or I'm doing something wrong
    achempion · 1790447604 · focus · HN ↗
    I assume the only way it to be a good citizen: an app someone uses often, app itself is low cpu/memory, BG app refresh quick/cheap/doesn't drain much energy.
    But yeah, if you need a predictable way is either APN or safari push notifications.

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