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Android vs iOS
🕑 Added 2021-04-26 23:48:57 +0000 UTCOver the years, I've switched back and forth between Android and iOS many times. I've had the original iPhone, the iPhone 3GS, the iPhone 4, the iPhone 5, the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6s. On the Android side I can't even remember, it's honestly ridiculous. I know I had the original Droid, but that's about the only one that sticks out. The rest are forgettable Samsung and LG phones.
Right now I have the One Plus 7t and before that I had the One Plus 6. So I've actually been on Android since May 2018, probably my longest streak of loyalty to a particular platform.
I'm writing about this for two reasons. First, as an Android user, I often have iPhone envy. Anyone else have that? Where you really want an iPhone because they have really nice hardware, or the apps are better or because Android is just sometimes a buggy piece of shit? Yeah, I've got that right now. So, to fend that off ( because I don't have $1000 to buy a new iPhone and I want to stay with at least the illusion that I'm supporting the FOSS underpinnings of Android), I actually use a launcher to make my Android look like a bloody iPhone.
Makes me feel like a fraud. Though from the number of iOS launchers and icon packs on the Play Store, I'm definitely not alone.
The other reason why I'm writing about this is related: Is supporting Android really the smartest move? Yes, it uses the Linux Kernel. Yes you can do more with it (alt. app stores, different launchers and so on). But is it the best option for someone who cares about security and privacy?
I don't know the answer to that.
I mean, obviously the goog is much worse when it comes to privacy than the fruit company is. That's a given. But Apple does their own shady stuff.
I supposed if I truly cared, I could go ahead and use one of the truly FOSS mobile operating systems. But those all seem like they're years away from prime time. Not a single one looks like it is either stable enough or supported enough, app wise, to make it an actual daily driver.
So, I'm left with an Android phone I'm unsure of, looking at the OS on the other side of the fence wondering if it's time for me to jump over and switch again.
Which do you use?
(P.S. early access to vids is coming back later this week. I'm running a bit behind.)
Comments
Matthew Weber
The right to repair stuff is infuriating, that's for sure.
Matthew Weber
I think the FOSS phones are great projects, but I don't see them as something I could use as a daily driver yet. I watched a yt vid a couple of days ago, and the OS on that PinePhone was horrendously slow. As I said, it'd be nice to just try it out, but I do too much stuff on my phone to have it that slow and that lacking in apps. Maybe someday.
Maeglin
I don't like google very much but I consider Apple to be the worst tech company ever, their privacy stance is only for show and their positions towards the Right to repair movement, user's freedom and open source in general have had me avoid each and every one of their product for more than 10 years now. On Android, given some thoughts and research beforehand, I can still do as I please with my device. So, as of now if side must be chosen, I'll stand with Google against Apple a 110% of the time.
Sven Carstensen
Hi Matt, i started using an PinePhone with PostMarketOS and SXMO, an tiling window manager under linux. The phone is not so expensive, but its still in beta status, so not everything works perfect, but for me its fun. And its Linux on a smartphone. On the back you can open the phone, take out the battery or change it, and you have manual hardware switches to turn on or off the camera, the modem or other thinks, that you dont want to use by your phone. its more secure and my data wont track by apple or google. and htop on the upper window and a opensource browser on the lower window is quite fun :)
