{"slug": "molly", "name": "Molly", "category": "communication", "category_name": "Email and chat", "description": "Security-hardened fork of the Signal messenger for Android.", "recommenders": 5, "commenters": 9, "warners": 1, "score": 4.219, "rising": 1.02, "first": "2025-11-28", "latest": "2026-10-31", "why": "HN commenters use it to run Signal on Android tablets and secondary devices, and for background WebSocket notifications that do not depend on Google push.", "why_is_quote": false, "has_verdict": true, "sentiment": {"recommend": 6, "neutral": 3, "compare": 0, "warn": 1}, "spark": [2, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 2, 0], "listed": true, "loved": ["Multi-device support", "Push options"], "caveat": "Update lag", "short_quote": "The Molly app is the only way I am able to use Signal on multiple devices.", "icon": true, "domain": null, "github_repo": null, "official_url": "https://molly.im", "pricing": "open source", "aliases": ["Molly"], "verdict": [{"text": "HN commenters use it to run Signal on Android tablets and secondary devices,", "cites": [{"id": 737364176, "item_id": 46085261, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46085261", "by": "SomeHacker44", "date": "2025-11-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "It has been reliable for me in that role since the Pixel Tab came out", "excerpt": "Android Signal does not support being a companion tablet app to a primary phone Signal. So you have to use Molly if you want to have Signal on your Android tablet. It has been reliable for me in that role since the Pixel Tab came out and I switched from an iPad.", "context": "Android tablet user", "use_case": "Signal on Android tablet", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly: An Improved Signal App"}, {"id": 795040768, "item_id": 49690048, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49690048", "by": "blfr", "date": "2026-09-13", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Maybe it's because I use Molly as a secondary device (my tablet) but I never had an issue where it didn't work for weeks.", "excerpt": "Maybe it's because I use Molly as a secondary device (my tablet) but I never had an issue where it didn't work for weeks.", "context": "", "use_case": "Signal client on tablet", "switched_from": "", "story": "Registration without a phone number on Signal will use zero-knowledge proofs"}, {"id": 737401808, "item_id": 46087613, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46087613", "by": "Zambyte", "date": "2025-11-29", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "The Molly app is the only way I am able to use Signal on multiple devices.", "excerpt": "There is no way to use the Signal app on a device without a camera (USB cameras are even explicitly blocked!), and sync it with another computer. I use a Daylight computer as my primary mobile machine, which does not have a camera. The Molly app is the only way I am able to use Signal on multiple devices.", "context": "uses a Daylight computer without a camera", "use_case": "Signal on camera-less device", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly: An Improved Signal App"}, {"id": 805042689, "item_id": 50315168, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50315168", "by": "_heimdall", "date": "2026-10-31", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I use signal on my primary phone and Molly on a secondary phone.", "excerpt": "Well that's timely, and a bummer. I was just wondering about this yesterday, I use signal on my primary phone and Molly on a secondary phone. Signal got an update yesterday and when I saw the notification I couldn't remember the last time Molly was updated...", "context": "", "use_case": "messaging on secondary phone", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly (Signal fork) has not been updated since 3 months and is vulnerable"}]}, {"text": " and for background WebSocket notifications that do not depend on Google push.", "cites": [{"id": 795040560, "item_id": 49690035, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49690035", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-09-13", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Molly is a security-hardened Signal client only on Android", "excerpt": "Molly is a security-hardened Signal client only on Android for people unfamiliar. They went through a period of not updating (there were no security updates during that time afaict), but now releases should happen faster on top of Signal. In Molly there's three options. Google Play Services, WebSocket, and UnifiedPush. I use the WebSocket and Molly has used >1% of battery since the last full charge so it doesn't seem", "context": "", "use_case": "Signal client on Android", "switched_from": "", "story": "Registration without a phone number on Signal will use zero-knowledge proofs"}, {"id": 737317760, "item_id": 46082360, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46082360", "by": "throawayonthe", "date": "2025-11-28", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "it does receive notifications over the websocket it keeps open in the background", "excerpt": "i use it only because it happens to have a convenient 'supply trust chain' on GrapheneOS: (built-in) App Store -> Accrescent[0] -> Molly (seems to ship the 'FOSS' version) i don't use any of the enhancements, but it does receive notifications over the websocket it keeps open in the background vs only waking up on an FCM push notification like the regular app i wonder if the supply chain risk of having a second entity", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "use_case": "Signal client on GrapheneOS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly: An Improved Signal App"}]}, {"text": " The most common caveats are that it is Android-only", "cites": [{"id": 795040560, "item_id": 49690035, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49690035", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-09-13", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Molly is a security-hardened Signal client only on Android", "excerpt": "Molly is a security-hardened Signal client only on Android for people unfamiliar. They went through a period of not updating (there were no security updates during that time afaict), but now releases should happen faster on top of Signal. In Molly there's three options. Google Play Services, WebSocket, and UnifiedPush. I use the WebSocket and Molly has used >1% of battery since the last full charge so it doesn't seem", "context": "", "use_case": "Signal client on Android", "switched_from": "", "story": "Registration without a phone number on Signal will use zero-knowledge proofs"}, {"id": 789980820, "item_id": 49373801, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49373801", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-08-20", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Signal (I use Molly but it's only on Android)", "excerpt": "To get you started on switching the ecosystem, which is a pain. Here's some of what I landed on while moving from iOS to GrapheneOS. Ente Photos NotesNook Signal (I use Molly but it's only on Android) Bitwarden Proton", "context": "moved from iOS to GrapheneOS", "use_case": "messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS in 2027 available on high-end Motorola phones"}]}, {"text": " and that its updates have at times lagged behind Signal's.", "cites": [{"id": 795040560, "item_id": 49690035, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49690035", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-09-13", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Molly is a security-hardened Signal client only on Android", "excerpt": "Molly is a security-hardened Signal client only on Android for people unfamiliar. They went through a period of not updating (there were no security updates during that time afaict), but now releases should happen faster on top of Signal. In Molly there's three options. Google Play Services, WebSocket, and UnifiedPush. I use the WebSocket and Molly has used >1% of battery since the last full charge so it doesn't seem", "context": "", "use_case": "Signal client on Android", "switched_from": "", "story": "Registration without a phone number on Signal will use zero-knowledge proofs"}, {"id": 805042689, "item_id": 50315168, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50315168", "by": "_heimdall", "date": "2026-10-31", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I use signal on my primary phone and Molly on a secondary phone.", "excerpt": "Well that's timely, and a bummer. I was just wondering about this yesterday, I use signal on my primary phone and Molly on a secondary phone. Signal got an update yesterday and when I saw the notification I couldn't remember the last time Molly was updated...", "context": "", "use_case": "messaging on secondary phone", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly (Signal fork) has not been updated since 3 months and is vulnerable"}]}], "praise": [{"label": "Multi-device support", "summary": "Lets Signal run on Android tablets, secondary phones and camera-less devices that the official Android app won't link.", "quotes": [{"id": 737364176, "item_id": 46085261, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46085261", "by": "SomeHacker44", "date": "2025-11-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "It has been reliable for me in that role since the Pixel Tab came out", "excerpt": "Android Signal does not support being a companion tablet app to a primary phone Signal. So you have to use Molly if you want to have Signal on your Android tablet. It has been reliable for me in that role since the Pixel Tab came out and I switched from an iPad.", "context": "Android tablet user", "use_case": "Signal on Android tablet", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly: An Improved Signal App"}, {"id": 737401808, "item_id": 46087613, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46087613", "by": "Zambyte", "date": "2025-11-29", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "The Molly app is the only way I am able to use Signal on multiple devices.", "excerpt": "There is no way to use the Signal app on a device without a camera (USB cameras are even explicitly blocked!), and sync it with another computer. I use a Daylight computer as my primary mobile machine, which does not have a camera. The Molly app is the only way I am able to use Signal on multiple devices.", "context": "uses a Daylight computer without a camera", "use_case": "Signal on camera-less device", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly: An Improved Signal App"}, {"id": 795040768, "item_id": 49690048, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49690048", "by": "blfr", "date": "2026-09-13", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Maybe it's because I use Molly as a secondary device (my tablet) but I never had an issue where it didn't work for weeks.", "excerpt": "Maybe it's because I use Molly as a secondary device (my tablet) but I never had an issue where it didn't work for weeks.", "context": "", "use_case": "Signal client on tablet", "switched_from": "", "story": "Registration without a phone number on Signal will use zero-knowledge proofs"}]}, {"label": "Push options", "summary": "Offers Google Play Services, WebSocket and UnifiedPush notifications, with one user reporting under 1% battery use on WebSocket.", "quotes": [{"id": 795040560, "item_id": 49690035, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49690035", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-09-13", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Molly is a security-hardened Signal client only on Android", "excerpt": "Molly is a security-hardened Signal client only on Android for people unfamiliar. They went through a period of not updating (there were no security updates during that time afaict), but now releases should happen faster on top of Signal. In Molly there's three options. Google Play Services, WebSocket, and UnifiedPush. I use the WebSocket and Molly has used >1% of battery since the last full charge so it doesn't seem", "context": "", "use_case": "Signal client on Android", "switched_from": "", "story": "Registration without a phone number on Signal will use zero-knowledge proofs"}, {"id": 737317760, "item_id": 46082360, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46082360", "by": "throawayonthe", "date": "2025-11-28", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "it does receive notifications over the websocket it keeps open in the background", "excerpt": "i use it only because it happens to have a convenient 'supply trust chain' on GrapheneOS: (built-in) App Store -> Accrescent[0] -> Molly (seems to ship the 'FOSS' version) i don't use any of the enhancements, but it does receive notifications over the websocket it keeps open in the background vs only waking up on an FCM push notification like the regular app i wonder if the supply chain risk of having a second entity", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "use_case": "Signal client on GrapheneOS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly: An Improved Signal App"}]}, {"label": "Privacy-focused setups", "summary": "Commenters list it as their Signal client when moving to GrapheneOS or other de-Googled Android setups.", "quotes": [{"id": 789980820, "item_id": 49373801, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49373801", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-08-20", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Signal (I use Molly but it's only on Android)", "excerpt": "To get you started on switching the ecosystem, which is a pain. Here's some of what I landed on while moving from iOS to GrapheneOS. Ente Photos NotesNook Signal (I use Molly but it's only on Android) Bitwarden Proton", "context": "moved from iOS to GrapheneOS", "use_case": "messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS in 2027 available on high-end Motorola phones"}, {"id": 759742836, "item_id": 47483927, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47483927", "by": "diowldxiks", "date": "2026-03-22", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Molly/Signal for messaging", "excerpt": "I did the switch to graphene on my pixel 9 pro recently and have 0 regrets. it's just a better OS than the google infected android. Here's what I did: * Follow instructions to install graphene on their website: https://grapheneos.org/install/ * Set up a private space which will be used for google play services required apps (bank stuff, etc). Install google play and google play services in the private space. Do not i", "context": "", "use_case": "messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS will remain usable by anyone without requiring personal information"}, {"id": 747572195, "item_id": 46723262, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46723262", "by": "reify", "date": "2026-01-22", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "Molly, a fork of signal messenger", "excerpt": "I dumped smart phone shite with CyanogenMod back in 2010. I still have an old Oneplus 5T running lineage with android 15 A samsung S4 with android 11 as my kitchen timer. My family have Motorola edge 20 and Motorola edge 20 pro both with android 16. https://doc.e.foundation/devices https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/ I personaly prefer Lineage over E.OS. I use droid-ify app store, which saves messing about with addin", "context": "", "use_case": "messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: What is your opinion on non-mainstream mobile OS options (e.g. /e/OS)?"}]}, {"label": "Security hardening", "summary": "Described as a security-hardened Signal client.", "quotes": [{"id": 795040560, "item_id": 49690035, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49690035", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-09-13", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Molly is a security-hardened Signal client only on Android", "excerpt": "Molly is a security-hardened Signal client only on Android for people unfamiliar. They went through a period of not updating (there were no security updates during that time afaict), but now releases should happen faster on top of Signal. In Molly there's three options. Google Play Services, WebSocket, and UnifiedPush. I use the WebSocket and Molly has used >1% of battery since the last full charge so it doesn't seem", "context": "", "use_case": "Signal client on Android", "switched_from": "", "story": "Registration without a phone number on Signal will use zero-knowledge proofs"}]}], "caveats": [{"label": "Update lag", "summary": "Molly went through a period without updates or security updates, and users noticed releases falling behind Signal's.", "quotes": [{"id": 795040560, "item_id": 49690035, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49690035", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-09-13", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Molly is a security-hardened Signal client only on Android", "excerpt": "Molly is a security-hardened Signal client only on Android for people unfamiliar. They went through a period of not updating (there were no security updates during that time afaict), but now releases should happen faster on top of Signal. In Molly there's three options. Google Play Services, WebSocket, and UnifiedPush. I use the WebSocket and Molly has used >1% of battery since the last full charge so it doesn't seem", "context": "", "use_case": "Signal client on Android", "switched_from": "", "story": "Registration without a phone number on Signal will use zero-knowledge proofs"}, {"id": 805042689, "item_id": 50315168, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50315168", "by": "_heimdall", "date": "2026-10-31", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I use signal on my primary phone and Molly on a secondary phone.", "excerpt": "Well that's timely, and a bummer. I was just wondering about this yesterday, I use signal on my primary phone and Molly on a secondary phone. Signal got an update yesterday and when I saw the notification I couldn't remember the last time Molly was updated...", "context": "", "use_case": "messaging on secondary phone", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly (Signal fork) has not been updated since 3 months and is vulnerable"}]}, {"label": "Android only", "summary": "It is only available on Android.", "quotes": [{"id": 795040560, "item_id": 49690035, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49690035", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-09-13", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Molly is a security-hardened Signal client only on Android", "excerpt": "Molly is a security-hardened Signal client only on Android for people unfamiliar. They went through a period of not updating (there were no security updates during that time afaict), but now releases should happen faster on top of Signal. In Molly there's three options. Google Play Services, WebSocket, and UnifiedPush. I use the WebSocket and Molly has used >1% of battery since the last full charge so it doesn't seem", "context": "", "use_case": "Signal client on Android", "switched_from": "", "story": "Registration without a phone number on Signal will use zero-knowledge proofs"}, {"id": 789980820, "item_id": 49373801, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49373801", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-08-20", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Signal (I use Molly but it's only on Android)", "excerpt": "To get you started on switching the ecosystem, which is a pain. Here's some of what I landed on while moving from iOS to GrapheneOS. Ente Photos NotesNook Signal (I use Molly but it's only on Android) Bitwarden Proton", "context": "moved from iOS to GrapheneOS", "use_case": "messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS in 2027 available on high-end Motorola phones"}]}, {"label": "Supply-chain trust", "summary": "One user questions whether adding a second entity that signs the APKs is worth the supply-chain risk.", "quotes": [{"id": 737317760, "item_id": 46082360, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46082360", "by": "throawayonthe", "date": "2025-11-28", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "it does receive notifications over the websocket it keeps open in the background", "excerpt": "i use it only because it happens to have a convenient 'supply trust chain' on GrapheneOS: (built-in) App Store -> Accrescent[0] -> Molly (seems to ship the 'FOSS' version) i don't use any of the enhancements, but it does receive notifications over the websocket it keeps open in the background vs only waking up on an FCM push notification like the regular app i wonder if the supply chain risk of having a second entity", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "use_case": "Signal client on GrapheneOS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly: An Improved Signal App"}]}], "who": [{"by": "Cider9986", "context": "moved from iOS to GrapheneOS", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49373801", "date": "2026-08-20"}, {"by": "Zambyte", "context": "uses a Daylight computer without a camera", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46087613", "date": "2025-11-29"}, {"by": "SomeHacker44", "context": "Android tablet user", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46085261", "date": "2025-11-28"}, {"by": "throawayonthe", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46082360", "date": "2025-11-28"}], "tags": ["for Android tablets", "for secondary devices", "for GrapheneOS users", "for de-Googled phones"], "use_cases": ["messaging", "signal fork", "messaging on secondary phone", "signal client on tablet", "signal client on android", "signal on camera-less device"], "compared": [{"slug": "signal", "name": "Signal", "co": 8, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "grapheneos", "name": "GrapheneOS", "co": 3, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "proton", "name": "Proton", "co": 2, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}], "makers": [], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46080916", "title": "Molly: An Improved Signal App", "mentions": 3}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50314666", "title": "Molly (Signal fork) has not been updated since 3 months and is vulnerable", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49689048", "title": "Registration without a phone number on Signal will use zero-knowledge proofs", "mentions": 2}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49360242", "title": "GrapheneOS in 2027 available on high-end Motorola phones", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47482217", "title": "GrapheneOS will remain usable by anyone without requiring personal information", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46722284", "title": "Ask HN: What is your opinion on non-mainstream mobile OS options (e.g. /e/OS)?", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {"neutral": 1, "recommend": 2}, "2025-12": {}, "2026-01": {"neutral": 1}, "2026-02": {}, "2026-03": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-04": {}, "2026-05": {}, "2026-06": {}, "2026-07": {}, "2026-08": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-09": {"recommend": 2}, "2026-10": {"neutral": 1, "warn": 1}}, "quotes": [{"id": 805105026, "item_id": 50319064, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50319064", "by": "lone-cloud", "date": "2026-10-31", "stance": "warn", "quote": "I just released a stopgap with the fixes", "excerpt": "If anyone is interested, I run my own minimalist fork of Molly named Polly. I just released a stopgap with the fixes: - RingRTC 2.73.0-1, which includes the call-teardown fix (the hangup/hot-mic issue) - Signal's blacklist of the eight compromised eMudhra TLS intermediates https://github.com/lone-cloud/polly/releases/tag/v8.19.2-6 It's still based on Signal 8.19.2. The build is arm64-only and Android 14+. Plug: I als", "context": "", "use_case": "Signal fork", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly (Signal fork) has not been updated since 3 months and is vulnerable"}, {"id": 805042689, "item_id": 50315168, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50315168", "by": "_heimdall", "date": "2026-10-31", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I use signal on my primary phone and Molly on a secondary phone.", "excerpt": "Well that's timely, and a bummer. I was just wondering about this yesterday, I use signal on my primary phone and Molly on a secondary phone. Signal got an update yesterday and when I saw the notification I couldn't remember the last time Molly was updated...", "context": "", "use_case": "messaging on secondary phone", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly (Signal fork) has not been updated since 3 months and is vulnerable"}, {"id": 795040768, "item_id": 49690048, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49690048", "by": "blfr", "date": "2026-09-13", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Maybe it's because I use Molly as a secondary device (my tablet) but I never had an issue where it didn't work for weeks.", "excerpt": "Maybe it's because I use Molly as a secondary device (my tablet) but I never had an issue where it didn't work for weeks.", "context": "", "use_case": "Signal client on tablet", "switched_from": "", "story": "Registration without a phone number on Signal will use zero-knowledge proofs"}, {"id": 795040560, "item_id": 49690035, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49690035", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-09-13", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Molly is a security-hardened Signal client only on Android", "excerpt": "Molly is a security-hardened Signal client only on Android for people unfamiliar. They went through a period of not updating (there were no security updates during that time afaict), but now releases should happen faster on top of Signal. In Molly there's three options. Google Play Services, WebSocket, and UnifiedPush. I use the WebSocket and Molly has used >1% of battery since the last full charge so it doesn't seem", "context": "", "use_case": "Signal client on Android", "switched_from": "", "story": "Registration without a phone number on Signal will use zero-knowledge proofs"}, {"id": 789980820, "item_id": 49373801, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49373801", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-08-20", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Signal (I use Molly but it's only on Android)", "excerpt": "To get you started on switching the ecosystem, which is a pain. Here's some of what I landed on while moving from iOS to GrapheneOS. Ente Photos NotesNook Signal (I use Molly but it's only on Android) Bitwarden Proton", "context": "moved from iOS to GrapheneOS", "use_case": "messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS in 2027 available on high-end Motorola phones"}, {"id": 759742836, "item_id": 47483927, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47483927", "by": "diowldxiks", "date": "2026-03-22", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Molly/Signal for messaging", "excerpt": "I did the switch to graphene on my pixel 9 pro recently and have 0 regrets. it's just a better OS than the google infected android. Here's what I did: * Follow instructions to install graphene on their website: https://grapheneos.org/install/ * Set up a private space which will be used for google play services required apps (bank stuff, etc). Install google play and google play services in the private space. Do not i", "context": "", "use_case": "messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "GrapheneOS will remain usable by anyone without requiring personal information"}, {"id": 747572195, "item_id": 46723262, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46723262", "by": "reify", "date": "2026-01-22", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "Molly, a fork of signal messenger", "excerpt": "I dumped smart phone shite with CyanogenMod back in 2010. I still have an old Oneplus 5T running lineage with android 15 A samsung S4 with android 11 as my kitchen timer. My family have Motorola edge 20 and Motorola edge 20 pro both with android 16. https://doc.e.foundation/devices https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/ I personaly prefer Lineage over E.OS. I use droid-ify app store, which saves messing about with addin", "context": "", "use_case": "messaging", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: What is your opinion on non-mainstream mobile OS options (e.g. /e/OS)?"}, {"id": 737401808, "item_id": 46087613, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46087613", "by": "Zambyte", "date": "2025-11-29", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "The Molly app is the only way I am able to use Signal on multiple devices.", "excerpt": "There is no way to use the Signal app on a device without a camera (USB cameras are even explicitly blocked!), and sync it with another computer. I use a Daylight computer as my primary mobile machine, which does not have a camera. The Molly app is the only way I am able to use Signal on multiple devices.", "context": "uses a Daylight computer without a camera", "use_case": "Signal on camera-less device", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly: An Improved Signal App"}, {"id": 737364176, "item_id": 46085261, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46085261", "by": "SomeHacker44", "date": "2025-11-28", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "It has been reliable for me in that role since the Pixel Tab came out", "excerpt": "Android Signal does not support being a companion tablet app to a primary phone Signal. So you have to use Molly if you want to have Signal on your Android tablet. It has been reliable for me in that role since the Pixel Tab came out and I switched from an iPad.", "context": "Android tablet user", "use_case": "Signal on Android tablet", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly: An Improved Signal App"}, {"id": 737317760, "item_id": 46082360, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46082360", "by": "throawayonthe", "date": "2025-11-28", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "it does receive notifications over the websocket it keeps open in the background", "excerpt": "i use it only because it happens to have a convenient 'supply trust chain' on GrapheneOS: (built-in) App Store -> Accrescent[0] -> Molly (seems to ship the 'FOSS' version) i don't use any of the enhancements, but it does receive notifications over the websocket it keeps open in the background vs only waking up on an FCM push notification like the regular app i wonder if the supply chain risk of having a second entity", "context": "GrapheneOS user", "use_case": "Signal client on GrapheneOS", "switched_from": "", "story": "Molly: An Improved Signal App"}]}