this post was submitted on 07 Aug 2023

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Privacy

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Android vs. iOS (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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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.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

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.

[+] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

[deleted]

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

All apps that you can install from the Play Store can be "sideloaded" on Android, plus many that you can't install from the Play Store.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Aurora store and fdroid are two alternative stores. You can also download any apk and install it. You were skeptical of a 1 minute search, man.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

No please read my comment again. I know there are alternative stores. In practice, many mainstream apps are not easy to install using these stores. If you had done a 1 minute search, you’d find tons of people complaining about trying to degoogle their phone. I think almost everyone just gives up on at least a few apps.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Giving up on a few apps IS being able to sideload most apps, which is what you were skeptical about in your original comment.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

In context, I clearly meant “most apps people use and need”. Almost all the streaming apps, all the corporate social media apps, all the payment apps, etc seem to be problematic.

Remember that the larger discussion is about the viability of protecting your privacy on Android vs iPhone. Sure everything is “possible” if you futz with it enough, you could even code your own OS and all your own apps, but the more you have to futz, the less viable it is for most people.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (3 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I have had my onePlus 8T since 2020, and got it "for free" from T-Mobile without any issue. I used to work at AT&T, and I've had so many customers with iPhones who would come when the bed iPhone came out, saying their previous gen iPhone is suddenly incredibly slow after the latest iOS update. Some of them, especially if they were 2 or more gens behind, the iPhone would just be black screen with no sign of life.

From my observation, android isn't only cheaper, but it has greater longevity too. If the company stops supporting the device, custom ROMs continue.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

This sounds like selection bias. If you are sampling only people who are replacing their old iPhones, then they will obviously be more likely to have broken iPhones.

Even if the hardware lasts, most android phones historically don’t remain updated for more than a few years. Your OnePlus 8T is due to lose basic security support in October 2024, so one more year from now. It’s already lost OS updates. Meanwhile, my iPhone 6s from 2015 still works and is still receiving security updates this year!

Look I’m not looking to start a format war. I think android phones are great. But I’m cheap and concerned about ewaste. I just want something to work for as long as possible.