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Open source QKSMS gets updated for first time in 2 years
- QKSMS, the open-source texting app for Android, finally got an update after two years of dormancy.
- In a Reddit post, the leade developer promises continued updates for the app going forward.
- The recent update essentially brings the app back up to speed, but new features are on the way as well.
QKSMS is an Android SMS app available in the Google Play Store. Although it made our list of the top-ten texting apps for Android, the app has been dormant for nearly two years. Now, the main developer issued a huge update to the app and promised to reboot new development.
Moez, the primary developer of QKSMS, used his verified Reddit account to break the news on /r/Android today. According to Moez, QKSMS has been reworked from the ground up making it faster, more stable, and giving it some new features.
The notable aspect of QKSMS that separates it from many other SMS apps on the Google Play Store is that it is completely open source. Using GitHub, anyone can make changes, suggest edits, or even fork the app’s code to create a new app. PulseSMS is also open source, but most other SMS apps are proprietary.
While this new version of QKSMS fixes a lot of issues the app has had since its last update two years ago, that doesn’t mean that it is perfect. According to Moez, he plans to bring a lot more new features to the app over the next few months, including
- Dual SIM support
- Scheduled/delayed messaging
- Gallery view for viewing MMS attachments
- Support for sending media like video, audio, contact, location, etc.
Unfortunately, Moez has also removed some functions of the app “in an effort to minimize clutter.” He doesn’t clarify which settings were removed but appears to be open to bringing settings back if enough people ask for them. He has been very responsive in the Reddit thread and seems eager to make QKSMS a powerful app to go up against its larger rivals.
Rumors abound that Google is going to be bringing a lot more functionality to the built-in Android texting app Android Messages, including RCS messaging, texting from the web, and more. It may also be completely revamping the app into something called Chat. If Google brings all these new features to stock Android, it might make third-party SMS apps a bit less popular.
Give QKSMS a try by clicking the button below.