Well, this isn’t just about restrictions. It’s also about privacy.
Yes, with Android’s less restrictions, you can achieve better privacy, if you have a device that’s not locked down by the manufacturer, a ton of expertise and the stars align right for you.
But if this isn’t the case, then Apple is an easy (albeit expensive) choice for getting less shitty privacy than default Android.
You really don’t need a ton of expertise to run LineageOS or /e/OS on a supported phone. It’s easy to install F-Droid and get privacy-respecting free software on Android, while next to impossible to do on iPhones.
I do think Apple is slightly better for privacy than many Android options but it’s at a huge expense in freedom.
It’s not a ton of expertise from the perspective of someone who knows how to do it. But it is from the perspective of the average phone user, especially when you don’t know, if you could end up turning your phone into an expensive door stop.
Heck, most people that I would call “tech-savvy” are far away from the carelessness confidence necessary to try this.
And buying a supported device is also something that you usually only start considering after you’ve installed a custom ROM once.
I mean you’re right, I personally don’t run open source software on my daily driver because I don’t have the confidence in it. But I do have F-Droid and I value the software I can get there hugely. Furthermore, once I upgrade to a newer phone, I can extend my old phone’s life by installing new software.
It’s certainly not for everyone, but personally I don’t think people should be forced to choose between easy-to-use and free software, so I give Apple no credit for what they’re doing and don’t personally wish to give them a single penny.
Well, this isn’t just about restrictions. It’s also about privacy.
Yes, with Android’s less restrictions, you can achieve better privacy, if you have a device that’s not locked down by the manufacturer, a ton of expertise and the stars align right for you.
But if this isn’t the case, then Apple is an easy (albeit expensive) choice for getting less shitty privacy than default Android.
You really don’t need a ton of expertise to run LineageOS or /e/OS on a supported phone. It’s easy to install F-Droid and get privacy-respecting free software on Android, while next to impossible to do on iPhones.
I do think Apple is slightly better for privacy than many Android options but it’s at a huge expense in freedom.
It’s not a ton of expertise from the perspective of someone who knows how to do it. But it is from the perspective of the average phone user, especially when you don’t know, if you could end up turning your phone into an expensive door stop.
Heck, most people that I would call “tech-savvy” are far away from the
carelessnessconfidence necessary to try this.And buying a supported device is also something that you usually only start considering after you’ve installed a custom ROM once.
I mean you’re right, I personally don’t run open source software on my daily driver because I don’t have the confidence in it. But I do have F-Droid and I value the software I can get there hugely. Furthermore, once I upgrade to a newer phone, I can extend my old phone’s life by installing new software.
It’s certainly not for everyone, but personally I don’t think people should be forced to choose between easy-to-use and free software, so I give Apple no credit for what they’re doing and don’t personally wish to give them a single penny.