cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/198544
While it has been argued that the choice of smartphone architecture might protect user privacy, no clear winner between iOS and Android emerges from our analysis.
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DeGoogled Android based on AOSP is almost certainly the winner in terms of phones that are fully functional, stable, with good app support. Linux Mobile is probably better for privacy, but it’s still very much still in alpha development with all the issues that come with it.
Pinephone with Android emulation (Anbox or Waydroid) seems like a decent system.
In theory or in practice? Last I saw it looked promising but was still not very usable yet.
Short Answer: No.
Long Answer: Noooooooooooooooope.
This is a study of 24,000 Android and iOS apps and looks at tracking in particular. The authors conclude that neither platform is better than the other. What I felt was missing from the analysis was just and overall comparison of anti-tracking features in both Android and iOS. I think that’s more important (especially since privacy is not the default in most cases and requires user intervention) and would love to see some information on that if anyone has any.
Android, especially AOSP ROMs, can be rooted, at which point it will let you configure the HOSTS file to sinkhole tracking domains. iOS can’t do that, the best you can do is use a VPN or DNS server that blocks trackers.
Also, iOS has no equivalent to F-Droid and other FLOSS app store alternatives.
The apps are not the main privacy issue, the OS is.
Yes, Google and Apple each have their own preferences in breaching the user’s privacy. Like, Google loves targeted ads while Apple wishes to know your location whenever
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No. You can’t even sideload apps in an IPhone.
More than that, Apple’s app ecosystem, both iOS and Mac, seems to be the least open source out of the consumer platforms. Even on the official Android and Windows app stores, a lot of apps are actually open source. That’s much rarer on Apple.
I agree
He thinks apps > OS and labels his report title as an OS competition…
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“librem5” am I a joke to you
Yes
I would say that Apple isn’t as bad as Google. But they are not good either. The best way to be private is to educate yourself so you’ll learn what’s ggod or bad for you. In general everything that is cloud based like iCloud or GoogleDrive has to be avoid. For me a degoogled-phone is good enough (CalyxOS)
Apple can be the most privacy friendly company in the world (it isn’t) and it still wouldn’t make up for them being hostile to user freedom and right-to-repair.
iOS is collecting for Apple, Android is Google, but Google is a advertising company. Our of the box iOS is probably better (keep in mind Apple is a closed garden and you cant really see the code). I run GrapheneOS for my daily driver. But I also have an iPad. With Adguard you can block a lot, including with the right host file Apple domains. You can also via ADB degoogle a Samsung or any other android device.
So android gives you more options when it comes go blocking trackers, apps, etc. iOS is probably out of the box a little better, but you have not much ways to lock things down.
I can’t imagine using a device where I can’t install programs I want to install. Apple not allowing sideloading of apps is simply ridiculous.
I agree that compared to the average carrier-provided or manufacturer-provided Android system, iOS out-of-the-box is less horrifically bad for privacy. But that is an extremely low bar :)
Apple is also in the advertising business, and is also an NSA collaborator.
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