[teucris]

This has been tried so many times[0][1]… heck even I made an app like this once using WiFi direct.

The idea is so solid and yet there are just enough pitfalls between Bluetooth reliability, platform differences, getting critical mass for effective relaying…it’s such a bummer that we can’t figure this one out. Decentralized message relays have the potential to work anywhere, be fully private, extremely difficult to block/censor, and (in theory) can scale indefinitely.

[0]: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/FireChat

[1]: https://briarproject.org/

[vbezhenar]

I worked with BLE recently and found it very reliable. Also I was surprised at range it was able to communicate. Like 10 meters with walls - it works. Similar to WiFi.

I think, it's all matter of inventing a proper protocol on top of it, and enough work-hours put into the implementation to make software reliable.

[willseth]

The FindMy network is already doing this at scale with location data. Offline messaging might be too niche of a use case for Apple but surely they’ve considered it.

[stavros]

It very much doesn't. The FindMy network just scans for BT beacons around, and reports what it sees to Apple's servers via the cellular network. It very much doesn't do mesh networking at all.

[wslh]

But does WiFi Direct work on iOS so we can be on a music festival and mesh between your friends (Apple) mobiles? This would be much better than Bluetooth. I read about the MultipeerConnectivity framework but I am confused because in a recent discussion someone says that WiFi Direct has (development?) limitations? ELI5 please.

[godelski]

I really wish a "major" messaging service would adopt something like this, at least as a fallback. Don't give me two apps, give me one. This seems right up the alley for a project like Signal. Like a way to wade yourself into decentralization without necessarily needing to go all the way. Hell, it could save bandwidth just by file transfers alone and certainly it is up there with the mission of privacy.

I think it really will take a bigger platform to make this possible because you need an already existing network. I doubt Apple would ever do it, but hey, I mean text messaging and calls through Airdrop? Pitch it as for emergencies like when the phone lines go down? These are legitimate use cases.

[binary132]

I agree with the general sentiment but I hesitate to rely on any platform being around for a long time. It would be cool if they could interop with other platforms supporting it, though.