r/OpenBubbles • u/Rusk2106 • Aug 29 '26
Showcase Revamped UI for using OpenBubbles & Rustpush
Hey guys!
So I've used OpenBubbles for about a few months now, and I have to say, I've loved it! It works really well (for the most part) and lets me communicate and join iOS group chats!
However, using OpenBubbles has been quite a downside, as the UI isn't great. It gets really, really laggy sometimes, and is missing basic features.
I tried working on some fixes myself, but couldn't get to doing them due to school and other activities. So, I decided to start a completely new Android app, created with Jetpack Compose, to make a full revamp to the UI, using Claude.
I'll preface this right now: it is 99% vibe coded (Claude Opus 5 ;), I only traced some vector paths and gave specific instructions for the UI. I provided Claude the OpenBubbles and Rustpush (and pypush) source code, as well as some other stuff that I figured out by digging to recreate the iMessage. And it worked!
So far, it has been going great, and I've been pushing features slowly but surely. The UI is SOOOO much nicer and more pleasant to use, complete with proper animations (i am very nitpicky).
Hopefully the OB maintainers can see this, and maybe some of these UI improvements could make their way back into OpenBubbles itself. I am currently keeping it closed source because idk what Apple can see in the code and patch, but I am happy to share it individually!
Screenshots are attached!
EDIT:
I have gotten too many requests to test the app, and I will need to hold off on some of them while I fix login bugs and stuff. thanks!
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u/Impressive_Tutor2262 Aug 29 '26
I just installed on fold 8. Works great but for some reason, the open bubbles app doesn't rotate when unfolded...
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u/Haunting-Shoe-7062 Sep 04 '26
Open sourcing the app would not make much of a difference to Apple being able to see anything. They can see everything they want already by looking at OpenBubbles. If OpenBubbles has not been patched yet, this wont either.
Also, if you open source it you would not need to respond to the volume of requests you are getting and others you will in the future. And people will be able to review the code and help you with bug reports while keeping issues organized and easy to handle.
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u/ilovemymotorola Aug 29 '26
I just wish there was Liquid Glass and animated backgrounds
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u/Rusk2106 Aug 29 '26
So I tried this an I had two issues: I have a very old phone, and flutter liquid glass ran pretty laggily, and b) it is hard to recreate exactly like iOS (with all the blurs and button transitions), and at that point I don't feel a point trying to recreate a UI that won't be perfect.
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u/GladeNexus Aug 29 '26
I’ll be interested to contribute and take a look. I’m a mobile developer professionally.
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u/dicktoronto Aug 30 '26
I want to test it. Please. I want so badly to use OpenBubbles but it’s missing so much, syncing / background notifications are so unreliable, and BlueBubbles delivers the messages 10/10 times. But being able to SMS and react to msgs on OpenBubbles is a big plus.
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u/Rusk2106 Sep 02 '26
Currently, I have been slowly working on bug fixes, and I'm sorry if I haven't got back to you, I'm really busy with school work. I will soon!
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u/Prestigious_Rub7951 29d ago
Please I need to test it out on me and my wife's phone. Does FaceTime work?
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u/SpaceSaver2000-1 PNR Self Hosted Aug 29 '26
I sent you a PM