I’m a Linux/Android guy historically and I have to say I really love the stance Apple takes on privacy versus Google’s more, uh, laxe privacy stance. Knowing my phone OS that I carry everywhere with me wasn’t designed by a company selling my data would be a significant plus and has had me rethinking things lately. A lot more than, say, whether I prefer the UI or customizability or the camera suite.
As someone who works in Cybersecurity, I read a lot of security reports. I haven’t seen an iPhone be the most private/secure phone in about half a decade.
Android gives you full control over the permissions given to apps just like iOS does.
And since you can download additional browsers and browser plugins that aren’t just repackaged Safari, you can have a lot more control over your Internet privacy if you want it.
Google’s entire profit model is offering software for free so that they can gather data and sell ads.
Granular app permissions are a start, but barely. Cross-app tracking is a bigger deal, and Apple is miles ahead of Google there; and Google is never going to catch up, because it would destroy their revenue search.
I’ve used both platforms extensively, I actually love Android. Google assistant is so much better than Siri that it’s obnoxious, custom roms are a ton of fun, having a way to get root access on a device is so important it should be legally required.
But, if you think that a company that exists to build an advertising profile and sell ads will ever produce a device that meaningfully blocks the ability to build an advertising profile, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
I’m talking about blocking cross app tracking, not “restricting” it. Still, Google does not even restrict cross app tracking. They’ve announced a planned muli-year (their words) initiative to restrict cross app tracking- but, importantly, they’ve very clearly expressed that they’re going to work with advertisers to make sure that what they plan isn’t too disruptive. Which should be obvious anyway, because advertisers are literally their only real paying customers.
All that Google is interested in doing is finding the absolute minimum that they can do to give the illusion that they care about privacy, all without having to do anything that meaningfully protects user data. And only after Apple makes a huge change that devours even more of Google’s market share.
If you’re thinking about the current feature in android that allows users to “disable” cross app tracking, it actually doesn’t. It just disable Google’s advertising ID, but still let’s any app who wants to fingerprint your device using IP address and device serial.
I’m a Linux/Android guy historically and I have to say I really love the stance Apple takes on privacy versus Google’s more, uh, laxe privacy stance. Knowing my phone OS that I carry everywhere with me wasn’t designed by a company selling my data would be a significant plus and has had me rethinking things lately. A lot more than, say, whether I prefer the UI or customizability or the camera suite.
Yes I’m conflicted. I don’t like the tracking Google does but I do love how Android has so much more FOSS apps.
If you want Android, you could just install a degoogled Android rom on a phone that support it.
I would switch to iphone myself if it wasn’t for sideloading, and ublock origin in Firefox.
As someone who works in Cybersecurity, I read a lot of security reports. I haven’t seen an iPhone be the most private/secure phone in about half a decade.
It doesn’t have to be the most secure. It just has to be secure for the majority of use cases.
Sure. I’m just saying it’s not an advantage of iOS.
You’re acting like you don’t realize that there is a difference between end user privacy, and security from targeted attacks.
I don’t really care how hard it would be for a motivated attacker to target me and breach the security of my device.
I do really care about how hard it is for every website on earth to know intimate, personal details about my life.
iOS is the only sane choice.
No. I’m very aware.
Android gives you full control over the permissions given to apps just like iOS does.
And since you can download additional browsers and browser plugins that aren’t just repackaged Safari, you can have a lot more control over your Internet privacy if you want it.
Google’s entire profit model is offering software for free so that they can gather data and sell ads.
Granular app permissions are a start, but barely. Cross-app tracking is a bigger deal, and Apple is miles ahead of Google there; and Google is never going to catch up, because it would destroy their revenue search.
I’ve used both platforms extensively, I actually love Android. Google assistant is so much better than Siri that it’s obnoxious, custom roms are a ton of fun, having a way to get root access on a device is so important it should be legally required.
But, if you think that a company that exists to build an advertising profile and sell ads will ever produce a device that meaningfully blocks the ability to build an advertising profile, I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
Google restricts Cross app tracking and you can entirely disable the ad profile.
They will continue to make money off of the users who don’t care, while capturing more market from those who do.
I’m talking about blocking cross app tracking, not “restricting” it. Still, Google does not even restrict cross app tracking. They’ve announced a planned muli-year (their words) initiative to restrict cross app tracking- but, importantly, they’ve very clearly expressed that they’re going to work with advertisers to make sure that what they plan isn’t too disruptive. Which should be obvious anyway, because advertisers are literally their only real paying customers.
All that Google is interested in doing is finding the absolute minimum that they can do to give the illusion that they care about privacy, all without having to do anything that meaningfully protects user data. And only after Apple makes a huge change that devours even more of Google’s market share.
If you’re thinking about the current feature in android that allows users to “disable” cross app tracking, it actually doesn’t. It just disable Google’s advertising ID, but still let’s any app who wants to fingerprint your device using IP address and device serial.