Is PulseSMS/MMS true end to end encryption?
a. Under what circumstances are your SMS/MMS messages E-to-E encrypted?
b. Under what circumstances are they not?

We already know with iOS that your iMessage messages are not end to end
encrypted when they are stored on the iCloud - but is the Android PulseSMS
app similarly flawed (especially when we insert a common PC for SMS/MMS)?

How does the end to end encryption work for PulseSMS with & without a PC?
<https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/>

Particularly how does it work when you insert a Linux, macOS or Windows PC?
Linux: <https://github.com/maplemedia/pulse-sms-desktop>
macOS: <https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/platform-mac.html>
Win10: <https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/platform-windows.html>
Chrome: <https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/platform-chrome.html>
iOS: <https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/platform-ios.html>
Firefox: <https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/platform-firefox.html>
TizenOS: <https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/platform-tizen.html>
AndroidTV: <https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/platform-tv.html>
WearOS: <https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/platform-wear.html>
Android: <https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/platform-android.html>
Web: <https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/platform-web.html>
etc.

Under what circumstances are your messages End-to-End encrypted,
and under what circumstances are they not?

> Under what circumstances are your messages End-to-End encrypted,
> and under what circumstances are they not?

The question stems from a thread by sms with the news that Google offered to
help Apple incorporate modern RCS into Apple's archaic messenging system.
*Google Offers to Help Apple Implement RCS Messaging on iOS*, by sms
<https://groups.google.com/g/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/c/i-1jkLD8bMc>

After looking up what RCS adds to the mix, RCS seems mostly to add
rich message attachments & group editing amenities & perhaps encryption.

But I already had all that with PulseSMS (as far as I know) so that's why
the question was asked.

Mostly people said RCS works _without_ needing the cellular connection, that
is, RCS can work when your only radio is a Wi-Fi Internet connection.

But I've been using my Android messaging app for _years_ with only the Wi-Fi
(and no cellular radio, whether that be for voice or for data protocols).

So how does PulseSMS do what "normal" Android messaging apps can't do?
I still don't know for sure, but I think there's a Pulse server involved.

Some people guess that RCS _must_ be what Pulse is using, but I doubt that
because I haven't seen mention of RCS in the Pulse descriptions anywhere.

Besides, I'm almost certainly using an older version of PulseSMS because I
simply re-use the exact same APKs for all my phones; so it's likely the same
old APK as was on my prior few phones (Android APKs "just work" that way).

After reading these references, I think it might (maybe) be something else.
*I dumped all of Google's messaging apps for Pulse*
<https://www.greenbot.com/article/3192330/i-dumped-all-of-googles-messaging-apps-for-pulse-heres-how-and-why-i-did-it.html>

*How does Pulse compare to Android Messages?*
<https://home.pulsesms.app/android_messages.html>

*Pulse's End-to-End Encryption Technical Overview*
<https://home.pulsesms.app/encryption.html>

I suspect (maybe, perhaps) the Pulse app might be sending all the messages,
end-to-end encrypted, to the Pulse server first, and then (unencrypted) on
to the recipient via that Pulse server (which would send the message to the
recipients carrier first who would then send it to the recipient).

If that's the case, it tells me two things:
1. The messages aren't really end to end encrypted after all (no big deal),
2. The messages are 1st going to an Internet server & then to the recipient

I'm not saying that's it but I am saying that's perhaps (maybe) the case.

Given there is no mention (that I found anyway) of RCS in the PulseSMS app,
how else can I be sending/receiving MMS/SMS without any cellular radio on?

> Given there is no mention (that I found anyway) of RCS in the PulseSMS app,
> how else can I be sending/receiving MMS/SMS without any cellular radio on?

I think I figured out why I can Android SMS/MMS on Wi-Fi while others can't.

As I struggle to figure out what RCS gives me that I don't already have,
it's nice that most people seemed to say it's the ability to send/receive
MMS/SMS messages over pure Wi-Fi (i.e., not over any cellular voice/data).

I tested PulseSMS sending on pure Wi-Fi and was surprised it already worked.
Now I need to figure out how that can be when everyone says it can't be.
<https://home.pulsesms.app/help/>

This question asks specifically the Wi-Fi question I've been pondering:
Q: Can I text when I have a Wi-Fi connection?
(or do I need a connection to my carrier?)
A: At its core, Pulse SMS is just an normal SMS app.
If you have no signal on your phone (zero bars), the app will not be
able to send messages, regardless of what device you are trying to send
from. Your phone must also be turned on, for messages to be sent.

There is one exception to this, but your personal usage may vary.
Some carriers have WiFi Calling that you can enable/disable at the system
level. With some devices and carriers, enabling this will allow you to
send messages over WiFi alone. You will need to test this for yourself,
to see if this functionality works in your situation. I am not able to
provide a complete list of carriers or devices that this will work on.

Luckily, I had already created a one-tap shortcut to Wi-Fi calling settings:
TARGET = com.android.settings.Settings$WifiCallingSettingsActivity
(this is a hidden setting because the non-hidden setting is different)

Where, lo and behold, I happened to have Wi-Fi calling on, by default.
Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi Calling > {on, off} (set to on)
Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi Calling > {Wi-Fi or Cellular preferred}

When I turned Wi-Fi calling off, with both cellular radios off (data &
voice), the PulseSMS text messages failed to send even as the text to speech
worked so I knew I was on the Internet (they sent when I reconnected to
cellular data, so they weren't "lost" but just delayed in sending).

Hence I think I figured out why I can Android SMS/MMS on Wi-Fi.
Apparently Android sent those MMS/SMS texts over "Wi-Fi calling" protocols.

On 2021-10-10 11:11 a.m., Robin Goodfellow wrote:
>> Under what circumstances are your messages End-to-End encrypted,
>> and under what circumstances are they not?
>
> The question stems from a thread by sms with the news that Google offered to
> help Apple incorporate modern RCS into Apple's archaic messenging system.
> *Google Offers to Help Apple Implement RCS Messaging on iOS*, by sms
> <https://groups.google.com/g/misc.phone.mobile.iphone/c/i-1jkLD8bMc>

What makes Apple's messaging system "archaic", Arlen?

>
> After looking up what RCS adds to the mix, RCS seems mostly to add
> rich message attachments & group editing amenities & perhaps encryption.

And the ability for Google to read all your messages:

'Google, though, can see everything.'

<https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2021/02/27/google-android-messages-update-apple-iphone-ipad-imessage-security-versus-sms-rcs-and-whatsapp-encryption/>