Signal’s first paid feature adds encrypted media and message backups

Signal, the privacy-focused messaging app, has launched its first paid feature, which allows users to securely backup their media history older than 45 days and their text message history for $1.99 per month. This new feature is aimed at addressing the high costs associated with storing and transferring large amounts of data, as Signal is a non-profit organization that does not sell user data. The company is also offering a free tier for secure backups, which will save media from the last 45 days and allow users to save their text messages with a 100MB limit. The backup archives are stored without a direct link to the user's account, and users will need to use a recovery key to unlock their backups. If the key is lost, Signal cannot help recover it. The new feature is currently available on the Android beta app, and a public launch, as well as support for iOS and desktop, is expected soon. In the future, Signal plans to allow users to save their secure backup archives to a location of their choosing.