Unfortunately I don’t have good news on the state of the android app: I am retiring it. The last release on Github and F-Droid will happen with the December 2024 Syncthing version. Reason is a combination of Google making Play publishing something between hard and impossible and no active maintenance. The app saw no significant development for a long time and without Play releases I do no longer see enough benefit and/or have enough motivation to keep up the ongoing maintenance an app requires ...

Reason is a combination of Google making Play publishing something between hard and impossible and no active maintenance. The app saw no significant development for a long time and without Play releases I do no longer see enough benefit and/or have enough motivation to keep up the ongoing maintenance an app requires even without doing much, if any, changes.

Sad to see it go. There is a fork but seems not so great considering they are looking for active maintainer. Still better than nothing. Need to check it out as it has some enhancements.

Planning to close my Google Play Developer Account. Please say hi if you are interested in obtaining the latest gplay release files from me to help in publishing this app

  • Mikelius@lemmy.ml
    681·
    2 months ago

    I’ve been using the fdroid syncthing-fork version for a long time now and haven’t had any issues at all… Doesn’t mean it’ll last forever but it’s been getting the job done for me even in its current state.

    … And can’t remember my original reason to use the fork instead lol

        • candyman337@sh.itjust.works
          15·
          2 months ago

          THAT’S WHATS DRAINING MY BATTERY! I’ve been trying to figure it out, I knew it was draining quicker because of that but never really our two and two together

          • adr1an@programming.dev
            6·
            2 months ago

            Android shows which apps consume the most energy since the last charge.

            It’s great, I’ve used it a lot.

            Specially with relatives. It also lists ‘Display’, and shows how much your screen use was draining that new phone. I had to explain this to a friend recently, with their new phone. They thought it might be defective. It wasn’t.

    • DebianGuy@lemmy.mlOP
      14·
      2 months ago

      I was not even aware of this fork let alone a long timeline of existence. I am adding this onto my weekend project list. Thanks for the recommendation.

      • Handles@leminal.spaceEnglish
        7·
        2 months ago

        I switched to the fork as soon as I read this news. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes:

        • Just install it in parallel with the mainline app,
        • export your existing configuration to the default storage location,
        • import it in syncthing-fork (it’ll detect the export file automatically),
        • and you’re done. Uninstall the official app so they don’t compete for the daemon and port.
      • blueConifer@lemm.eeEnglish
        2·
        2 months ago

        Sadly it’s unusable on Android 15. All of the interactable functions are crammed up into the status bar and cannot be touched.

        • MartianFox@lemmy.ml
          0·
          2 months ago

          Yeah I Have the same problem and wondered why no one switching to the fork mentions that :D But I guess android 15 is not very widespread jet.

            • MartianFox@lemmy.ml
              1·
              2 months ago

              Yes, there seems to be an open issue for this bug, but actually the developers response doesn’t inflict confidence in the fork 😅 He seems to have updated the app to target Android 15 without testing in it in the emulator.

              • helpImTrappedOnline@lemmy.world
                1·
                2 months ago

                Welp my phone updated to 15 today…guess I can join the bugged syncthing-fork club.

                Looks like it is fixed in the latest release, just have to wait until it gets pushes to fdroid.

    • DebianGuy@lemmy.mlOP
      12·
      2 months ago

      Aww, too bad

      I see a comment inbox but can’t see here. I’m pasting it here

      I switched to the fork as soon as I read this news. It shouldn’t take more than a few minutes:
      Just install it in parallel with the mainline app,
      export your existing configuration to the default storage location, import it in syncthing-fork (it’ll detect the export file automatically),
      and you’re done. Uninstall the official app so they don’t compete for the daemon and port.

      • Dochyo@lemmy.ml
        8·
        2 months ago

        On f-droid the fork seems to be behind the original, but I expect I will if it continues updating.

        • BearOfaTime@lemm.ee
          9·
          2 months ago

          The fork is much better anyway.

          It moves the sync options into each sync folder/job. Lots more flexible. Now my photos sync on any network and any charge state, while less important things (downloads, etc) only sync when on WiFi and charging.

    • Dymonika@beehaw.org
      51·
      2 months ago

      Syncing with my phone was is my main use for syncthing. :( :)

      We shall persevere! It doesn’t seem like it’s really needed any updates anyway…

      • BearOfaTime@lemm.ee
        2·
        2 months ago

        Only updates it should need are for weird changes Google decides to make to Android.

        Hell, at this point if someone forked the fork, and charged a small fee for the Relay Server hosting, I’d happily pay.

  • grapemix@lemmy.ml
    20·
    2 months ago

    Syncthing is such a wonderful project. RIP. But for us already being spoiled by syncthing, it might be a good time to self host services to handle, sync and serve our own data like photos, contacts and more.

    • DebianGuy@lemmy.mlOP
      191·
      2 months ago

      This is just about the android app version. The desktop version still works and continues to live.

  • Sol 6 VI StatCmd@lemmy.worldEnglish
    14·
    2 months ago

    Damn this is some rough news… as other commenters have said though can’t blame the guy. I’ll cross my fingers for some random “Sinkboi for Syncthing” or something dumb like that to pop up down the road.

  • aard@kyu.de
    13·
    2 months ago

    I’ve let my google developer account expire quite a while ago after they kept asking for more and more stupid stuff. Nowadays if you don’t get paid a lot for it you must be either a masochist or a bit stupid if you upload to google play.

  • Shimitar@feddit.it
    11·
    2 months ago

    I installed from fdroid, I expect it to be still available as far as it will work…

    And I guess somebody will build and keep publishing it just not on google play, which is anyway a cesspool nowadays, so no big deal.

  • telepresence@discuss.tchncs.de
    5·
    2 months ago

    the fork version works fine. if that dies, i’m hopeful some new fork will emerge. syncthing is well known and used by many, so i think as long as the original software is alive, there’ll be a way to use it on your phone. heck, there’s ways to run syncthing on a pocketbook e-reader, lol

  • hyperreal@lemmy.world
    4·
    2 months ago

    Anyone have any good readings or discussions on what Google Play policies are being cited here as the major obstacle? Just curious to learn more.

    Edit: 20 testers policy? Sounds onerous.

  • bad_news@lemmy.billiam.net
    415·
    2 months ago

    If it’s not open it will die via failure in capitalism, going broke, or “success” in capitalism like DarkSkies or HopStop, which Apple bought just to stop them existing (these are both least case scenarios in a consumer capitalism that serves neither consumers nor 90% of capitalists)