I have been an Android user for 13 years now. After using almost every Google service possible I am going down the privacy rabbit hole lately. Gmail -> Proton Mail, Chrome -> Firefox, Keep -> Notesnook, Google Search -> Kagi, …
I am currently using a Galaxy S23 with as few Google apps as possible (and focussing mainly on open-source apps). I am familiar with rooting (I was a CyanogenMod user back in the days), but today I want to use the phone without tinkering and problem solving. I also like to use a smartwatch and banking apps, so GrapheneOS is a no-go unfortunately.
So it is “Stock” Android (or Samsung’s Android ) vs. iOS for me. Is it better (in terms of privacy) to use an iPhone or stick with an Android phone with an system wide ad-/tracking Blocker (I use Adguard)? It seems there are more privacy-friendly/open-source apps on Android.
Ironically the Pixels are the easiest to de-Google.
Apple wants your data as well
Is that true? I thought apple’s business model was to not sell your data but charge more upfront. Do you have a source discussing this that you can point me to?
Edit: I’ve searched online and can’t find even a single article talking about Apple selling your data. I’m an iPhone user so I want to know. The most recent Apple privacy article I can find reports on how they’re closing fingerprinting loopholes in third party apps.
I definitely don’t want to be naive or credulous, but given how aggressively they’ve prevented third parties from gathering data, I’m cautiously optimistic. I don’t think this is a “both sides” situation, unless someone can point me to some information to the contrary.
Yes. Installing any .api is extremely simple. You can do it with one click. I’ve lots of apps Apple doesn’t want me to have, and they don’t know.
You seem to be right: here is their app store policy. That’s helpful to know. They claim this is not sold to others and only used to recommend apps on the app store, but I may not be reading that right.
In theory, I understand some apps can be sideloaded on Android. But, in practice, can you actually get away with avoiding the Google app store for most apps? I’m skeptical.
I thought apple’s business model was to not sell your data but charge more upfront.
Charging more? Absolutely. Not sell your data? No, they will sell.
Charging more is only because people are willing to pay it. So why not? Most people don’t even care about their data being sold, and will not stop buying apple products for it.
I buy iPhones because I’m cheap and they’re a better value. My last phone lasted me 5 years, and my current 11 pro is 3 years old and still going strong. If you don’t replace your phone frequently, then iPhones are much cheaper than Android phones.
iPhone has the better reputation for privacy/security, however it is proprietary software and so no one can really tell for sure what kind of data that Apple might collect on you.
The best fasle advertising on privacy/security rather?
Their goal is blocking any other advertising method so only they can collect and use the data of their users for advertising.
Security? They can (or could) be hacked, with a backdoor, just with an invisible message…
So most of their reputation is just marketing (which goes pretty near to false advertising ex : the your data stays on your device… Which is just false).
Tho they may have a reputation of refusing to give data to public organizations (or at least depending on the data).
I used to work for Apple and the issue tracker engineers had for known iOS issues, their criticality, and resolution time was alarmingly lengthy and slow. What the public knew or may figure out was prioritised and resolved much higher and quicker than other issues that were worse. It wasn’t unusual to see techs in AppleCare and Retail Stores being provided internal articles that had them advise an issue was caused by something else (usually third-party apps or services, and carriers), but in the back-end we’d see what frontline techs didn’t and that it was indeed a critical issue with iOS. These could sit in the pipeline for months until the next update, rather than releasing hotfixes and looking bad. What the consumers don’t know doesn’t hurt Apple, so deflect until that release.
If a customer did catch on, someone from the Carpe Facto team would swoop in and silence with “compensation”, like a new top-end Mac, upgraded iPhone, Watch, etc. and an NDA. People never turn that stuff down and it’s positioned like Apple is doing the good guy thing and they should be so lucky to receive such generosity and praise for being amazing customer.
This was many years ago, though. No idea if it’s still the same. But the way that place runs, made me feel sick being part of it some times and I can’t imagine it’s changed. Apple’s real good at hiding their shit and appearing like good guys, but it’s pretty damned evil in there.
See, I always have this idea that all these companies are doing all sorts of dirty stuff under the covers but then I feel like naah it’s all in your head. There are laws and these are all law abiding organizations. Then I hear first hand stories like yours and just want to burn them down…
Graphene OS > iOS > Stock Android
I tend to lean toward Android simply because it gives me more control/options instead of completely relying on Apple’s promise that they care
E.g. I like that I can use NeoStore for FOSS apps instead of the google Play store
grapheneos might add more to this comment time permitting
