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.
Personally for me, I don’t want to store my personal files in anybody else’s cloud besides mine. I don’t want Google to have them, I don’t want Apple to have them. I use Syncthing to sync files between my devices. My understanding is it is a much better implementation on Android than Apple (basically non existent due to rules for apps on iOS is my understanding)
another +1 for syncthing
i ditched dropbox for it 6+ years ago and i have never had a single issue with it. super fast and never gets in your way
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 same is true for stock Android devices. Unless you are using a custom ROM without Google Play Services, there is more proprietary software than open source running on Android devices.
If it’s Stock vs iOS, do you really care about privacy? Google is a data mining ad company, that’s why their stuff is free. “If you’re no paying for the product, you are the product”. So Apple right? LOL no. Paying is no protection against being sold too. It’s closed, you’re never know, so they might as well make more money from you.
The only way is having any confidence in things is open source.
So I don’t think iOS vs Stock matters. Android is more open, but all those root level closed Google services completely compromise the phone. They owned the phone.
Stock IOS is probably more privacy friendly than android. Googles entire business is to make money off your data. Stock android uses google play services that have access to pretty much everything on your phone. Apple will bend to politicians on scanning your files and shit, but at least they (probably) aren’t selling your data. As much as google at the very least.
But like many comments here, if you actually care about privacy, stock anything isn’t the way to go. I use calyxos and find it to be a good balance between privacy and usability. No android auto, but banking apps work and from what I’ve read you can use garmin smartwatches or other similar watches that use their own app and smart watches that have been added to gadgetbridge https://f-droid.org/packages/nodomain.freeyourgadget.gadgetbridge/
Some people don’t like microg, but I believe you can use calyxos without it. (Not sure if that will break banking apps though).
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.
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 use /e/OS and it suits all my needs. I use mostly F-droid apps but I have access to Playstore apps through the AppLounge and it works like a charm. I don’t have to do any tinkering so far and I’ve been using it for a year or so.
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iOS is fully proprietary, so while some might argue that it is more private, it is almost impossible to know. What we do know is that it isn’t private, and apple has a track record against privacy.
I think comparing the two platforms from a privacy perspective is pointless. You’re not going to be private either way. Might as well focus on other factors.
I use and strongly recommend iodé OS
It is a degoogled android version with a built in ad blocker and microG. All my apps including banking and such work like a charm.
Since tha latest update it’s been great.
Stick with Android, you have much more control over the phone even when running stock compared to iOS Besides using Adguard you can also disable the apps you don’t want (some of which are used purely for tracking) using universal Android debloater and also turn of all kinds of tracking in the system
Graphene OS > iOS > Stock Android
Where is lineage OS in that?
LineageOS doesn’t claim to be Degoogled, and it isn’t so I think it would be an improvement, but a small one. It would remove the trackers your OEM has built into stock but that’s about it. It’s still phoning home to Google.
All I know is LineageOS claims to support devices beyond the date manufacturers do. Graphene stops getting updates the same date the manufacturer sets.
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
Was in the same Situation. Tried calyxos and lineage os with microg but there were always issues. I wanted a phone that works, so I bought an iPhone. I know that is not at all the best way to have privacy, but it works. I try to use as much open source and selfhosting as possible to minimize the data Apple gets. https://github.com/dkhamsing/open-source-ios-apps
You could try grapheneos. It is praised a lot. I can’t comment on it as I don’t own a pixel.
I now have a pixel with grapheneOS but unfortunately it is the same problem with the location in some apps.
My banking app works just fine on GrapheneOS, and it’s required no tinkering to get it working the way I want. I can’t speak for smart watches unfortunately, but I’d still recommend a Pixel with GrapheneOS if you really care about privacy. If you really don’t want to go with GrapheneOS, I’d still recommend Android. Apple may be marketing towards privacy friendly, but Android still has better FOSS options, which is better than blindly trusting Apple.
I wish I could buy a second hand pixel phone anywhere here. (Central EU) They might be popular in the US, maybe a couple of them are sold in western Europe, but in this region they are imppssible to find.
