Ask Slashdot: What High-End Smartphone Is Best For Privacy? 196
New submitter cj9er writes: Considering all the privacy issues in today's online climate (all the issues with Meta right now), what is the best high-end smartphone to select?
Apple: No way they don't sell your data... Sure, they have privacy for third-party apps, but what about the data they collect from the phone itself? Consider what the revenue is on a single smartphone (say $150), how do you think they have all that cash on hand?
Google: Yeah right, Pixel is probably collecting [data] 24/7 considering their main business is selling ads on Search. They have developed the Pixel line because they probably realized they were missing out on the direct collection of data from their own hardware (cut out the middle players using Android).
Samsung: Their TVs even collect and sell data on you. I don't really understand the price premium on Galaxy phones anyways.
I have kept my data and Wi-Fi turned off on my phones for years. Initially it was for battery reasons but now add in data collection. Ultimately, if we could turn off the GPS feature at will on our phones, maybe we could prevent all tracking (except for cellular triangulation). If we then think about safety, GPS is great and now with satellite-tracking on Apple phones, even better. But then what is going on behind the scenes 99.99% of the rest of the time when you don't require those options for safety reasons?
What phone manufacturer can be trusted?
Apple: No way they don't sell your data... Sure, they have privacy for third-party apps, but what about the data they collect from the phone itself? Consider what the revenue is on a single smartphone (say $150), how do you think they have all that cash on hand?
Google: Yeah right, Pixel is probably collecting [data] 24/7 considering their main business is selling ads on Search. They have developed the Pixel line because they probably realized they were missing out on the direct collection of data from their own hardware (cut out the middle players using Android).
Samsung: Their TVs even collect and sell data on you. I don't really understand the price premium on Galaxy phones anyways.
I have kept my data and Wi-Fi turned off on my phones for years. Initially it was for battery reasons but now add in data collection. Ultimately, if we could turn off the GPS feature at will on our phones, maybe we could prevent all tracking (except for cellular triangulation). If we then think about safety, GPS is great and now with satellite-tracking on Apple phones, even better. But then what is going on behind the scenes 99.99% of the rest of the time when you don't require those options for safety reasons?
What phone manufacturer can be trusted?
None (Score:2)
You'd need full control, and nothing will really give you that to the extent you actually need it.
Re: None (Score:5, Informative)
Saying iOS is best is ridiculous (Score:5, Informative)
No closed source system is best for privacy, and certainly not a company with a questionable track record like Apple.
The best option at the moment is using one of the forks of Android that completely strip out all the Google stuff (as in Gmail, YouTube, search etc), and put it on a phone that has a traceable supply chain.
Good options for the OS would be eOS or Graphene, and for the phone something like Pureism Librem 5 USA.
Re:Saying iOS is best is ridiculous (Score:5, Interesting)
Forks of Android are shit. They are only ever updated at the whim of whatever developer is using that phone and doing it for themselves. Once they get a new phone your security updates stop. All updates stop. What's worse, getting completely pwned or giving up some info? They both suck, but my security from thieves comes first. And in case you missed it, what you are replying to said clearly, "given the options." And I would agree with the OP, as much as I hate Apple for being overpriced shite marketed to posers.
I hate to agree (Score:2)
Until there is a viable linux phone, then IOS is probably best. If there were a Linux phone and you could run needed non native apps in an android sandbox or container until the native ecosystem took off, that would be it! I agree running one off forked android OS's sucks. The Air Force used to have their own version of android .. It was downloaded and forked for 'secure' devices. I worked on that for a year or so, it sucked. Much better to go with a mobile Linux distro.
Re: I hate to agree (Score:3)
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I am a backer of the Librem 5 [puri.sm], ordered in 2019. Still waiting on delivery :/
Wish I could a write review of it... but maybe, someday, they will resume shipping?
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Plus, if they did that surreptitiously they would be in for a mountain of lawsuits. From shareholders and from customers.
Tell me more about the future EULAs you plan to read cover to cover. I'm sure we'll catch that subtle change written in legalese on page 934.
(How ironic a change like that would be to appease shareholders, who are the only entity that matters now.)
Re: None (Score:3)
Agree. If you donâ(TM)t believe Apple is not safeguarding your day, then you canâ(TM)t believe anyone else.
Your only options are to roll your own or use a fully open source and audited solution
Re: (Score:3)
you donâ(TM)t
you canâ(TM)t
What desktop environment are you using? Is the bug on your side or on Slashdot's side?
It's clueless Slashdot developers that don't have a clue what iOS, Unicode or user choice (as in: don't fucking force me onto the shitty "mobile" version of your site) are.
Re: None (Score:3)
Slashdot does not grok Unicode.
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Graphene or eOS are the ways to go, run it on a Pureism Librem 5 so you can be sure (or more sure at least) of the hardware.
A cardboard box (Score:5, Insightful)
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If you are as paranoid as the questioner, then yes, a cardboard box is the best you can hope for.
If you are willing to actually look at the facts, and have realistic threat models, then you have some choices.
First, move to Europe if not already there. GDPR gives you a lot of control and protection.
Look at Android devices that support Lineage OS. Forget about high end features like a good camera, so don't waste your money on that hardware you can't use.
Or just get a Pixel and decline all the Google stuff, ro
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:3)
Answer: none. They all track you.
I'd argue the base premise with OP's position is wrong altogether: in the modern world, you simply cannot have 100% privacy, if you also wish to partake of any of modern electronic comforts, so you should first consider the question "How much of my privacy am I willing to compromise for modern comforts?"
^This. There are really no options here that don't involve compromises. Your best bet would be a so-called "feature phone" with no camera, such as the Kyocera DuraXV Extreme that Verizon sells [verizon.com], paired with a non-phone convertible display slim laptop/tablet that you've wiped with Linux and control yourself. (You'll have to trust the firmware there unless you're getting even further into it).
Among the major brands, Apple has a more transparent position on its privacy practices and is probably safer when confi
Re: (Score:2)
"...a non-phone convertible display slim laptop/tablet that you've wiped with Linux and control yourself...."
Laptops are fine, but what tablet can you wipe with Linux? I have tried on a couple, not to avoid surveillance but just to have a Linux tablet, but have not been able to get a proper working system.
Re:"What phone manufacturer can be trusted?" (Score:5, Insightful)
Also, if you are using a cellular network, the carrier *has* to track and record your movements otherwise the phone would not work. If you are going as far as replacing the hardware manufacturers OS with one of your choice, unless you a) wrote it yourself and b) have exact knowledge of the hardware underneath to the transistor level, you should be still uncertain as to whether you have more privacy, or even less than you had before.
As far as actual privacy goes, I think Apple make a pretty good stab at it, especially as it is one of their USPs which they make a big deal about. It is not really part of their business model to sell your data either.
IMO you are more likely to fall victim to a social engineering hack than you are to have private data exfiltrated from your iPhone (or any other reasonably secure handset).
Re: (Score:2)
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I pretty much call no one via phone service anymore.
If you're really not "calling anyone via phone service," here's a DIY upgrade of an old Nokia, with an all-new PCB and CPU. It uses Wifi and LoRa, but they weren't able to fit a real GSM module in there. It runs mainline Linux: https://hackaday.com/2022/06/1... [hackaday.com]
I realise this isn't what the OP was asking for, but it looks like a neat project (I'm not affiliated with the project at all)
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It would help if the OP could give us their threat model.
Why, for example, would a Google account full of fake info and some ad blocking not be adequate? Are they worried about their cell service provider knowing their approximate location, and if so why? Do they need specific "high end" features?
Re: (Score:3)
To improve your privacy, you'd need to use custom firmware, like e.g. LineageOS on Android-phones, thereby skipping the manufacturer's shenanigans.
LineageOS relies on vendor provided firmware.
Your carrier would still track everything, including what numbers call you, what numbers you call, where the other end of the call is, how long the calls last and so on
Multilateration is unavoidable given architecture of present day cellular networks yet "track everything" is going way too far.
One of the benefits of LineageOS is that it does not nerf the SIP stack making it trivial to send and receive calls over a VPN without any external software.
Of course any number of software programs can be used to facilitate secure communications over insecure networks.
I'd argue the base premise with OP's position is wrong altogether: in the modern world, you simply cannot have 100% privacy
Nobody is talking about 100% privacy.
The truth is at no time in human
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If you want privacy and untraceability then your phone should just be a hotspot, and you should use something else in order to communicate-- preferably with a firewall and content blocker between the two, and rotate between VPNs continuously.
Too much work? Then you really don't care enough about it. Just buy an iPhone and get 30% of the way there.
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If you want privacy and untraceability then your phone should just be a hotspot, and you should use something else in order to communicate-- preferably with a firewall and content blocker between the two, and rotate between VPNs continuously.
Too much work? Then you really don't care enough about it. Just buy an iPhone and get 30% of the way there.
It's not even that much work. Get the cheapest dumbphone [1] that will work as a hotspot. I have found that phones "designed for seniors" can be pretty good for this (and ironically, would be awful for a real old person to try and use!) Then all you need is your EDC Linux device, running whatever security protocols you are comfortable with.
The phone itself just stays in your pocket, running a hotspot. Everything else is done on your normal device, which is running a VPN through the phone's hotpot.
You might
Re: (Score:2)
This is a great response.
To add to Gaygirlie's point, there is a podcast called the Privacy Podcast. The host talks about how to improve privacy in several aspects of one's life. The steps the host takes for privacy with devices, as well as in other parts of his life, are far more than a lot of people care to go. They had an episode where the host described how to "sanitize" an Android device in order to remove as much as the crap as you can so that it doesn't track you near as much as the usual Android dev
Re: "What phone manufacturer can be trusted?" (Score:2)
Blink twice if you think youâ(TM)re being tracked
If it allows anything to be added (Score:2)
then exclude it from your search if you want "privacy". You won't have it.
Apple don't sell your data... (Score:3, Interesting)
Apple don't sell your data... It's too valuable. They sell ads based on your data. It's their sandbox to play in, they won't be selling off the sand.
Also despite their strong(ly dubious) privacy claims, they do not let you run third party browsers. So surfing the web you're at the mercy of all the nasty trackers, regardless of what Apple themselves do. No firefox + noscript + ublock + privacy badger for you!
Re: Apple don't sell your data... (Score:3)
I use my iPhone as a primary web tool and it allows you to install many extensions to safari that block ads
Re: (Score:2)
But it is not as good as firefox. You're still at the mercy of Apple.
Re: Apple don't sell your data... (Score:3)
Pick your poison or roll your own. What makes you think the off brand app stores you can access on android are any more trustworthy than apple? You can either kick and scream about the apple walled garden, kick and scream about Google using you as a data sock puppet, or kick and scream about a malware riddled off brand App Store.
Re: (Score:2)
What makes you think the off brand app stores you can access on android are any more trustworthy than apple?
What's that got to do with mobile firefox?
malware riddled off brand App Store.
f-droid has a pretty solid reputation.
Re: (Score:2)
Those extensions stop ads from being displayed, but they are still loaded and still tracking. You need something like ublock to actually *block* them, and you can't use that with Safari, even when it's pretending to be Chrome.
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The Chrome app on my phone begs to differ.
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Can you clarify? I have an iPhone (albeit an old 6) that has Firefox Focus. That does a lot of what you just described. And it lets me log into web mail and most of the other stuff I normally do in my browser.
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I'm no fan of Google's privacy practices, but Google won't sell your data either. That data is the foundation of their business, trade secret! But they can use that data to target consumers who might buy your products.
Smaller companies with a web presence ARE selling your data to the big companies. They get a few pennies for selling you out. Yes, even nice charities are doing it. You donate your $$$ and they reward you by selling your data- prized because you are now tagged as a donor.
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The fact that you can't use your own browser with tracking protection on iOS is enough to instantly disqualify and refute any claims made in this thread that Apple is the best option for privacy.
Re: Apple don't sell your data... (Score:2)
I donâ(TM)t understand this comment is all over this thread. Firefox, Brave, Opera, browsers are all available on iOS. Brave is my default browser, blocks all ads natively. Whatâ(TM)s the problem?
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No uBlock Origin, no tracker blockers, etc, for you.
Re: Apple don't sell your data... (Score:2)
Iâ(TM)m using brave on iOS right nowâ¦.
Apple (Score:4, Interesting)
Apple is your best bet. Privacy is their big sales point.I trust them more than the others.
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I trust Firefox with a large suite of privacy extensions more than I trust Safari which can't run as many. Doesn't matter what Apple's policies about app privacy are: a lot of phone use is browsing the web, and they are weak at letting you protect yourself there. IF they are to be believed (big if, they are also in the ads game) then they closed the 30% hole leaving the 70% one open.
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High-end? Only one choice (Score:5, Informative)
The absolute best? There is only one choice:
GrapheneOS [grapheneos.org] on a Pixel phone.
There are cheaper phone alternatives like LineageOS [lineageos.org] on supported Androids but it doesn't have the functionality of Graphene.
CalyxOS [calyxos.org] is similar to but not as good as Graphene but maybe worth a try. Also Pixel-only.
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The software choice is right (eOS) is also good, but the Pixel is a poor suggestion. Yes, the Pixel has some good hardware security innovations, but it's still hardware coming from Google and China. Better to use something like the Pureism Librem 5 USA instead.
The Pixel hardware security is nice, but not needed in most instances unless you are worried about evil maid attacks. The software security Graphene provides is more than sufficient in most cases, and the Purism hardware makes it worthwhile imo.
Wait a minute... (Score:5, Interesting)
"I have kept my data and Wi-Fi turned off on my phones for years."
Then what exactly do you think you need a high end smart phone for? If you're just making and receiving phone calls, buy a dumbphone.
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I have kept my data and Wi-Fi turned off on my phones for years.
Then what exactly do you think you need a high end smart phone for? If you're just making and receiving phone calls, buy a dumbphone.
To be fair, smartphones can do more than feature phones and it's possible that he enables data on occasion to use Maps, etc... Also texting (which doesn't use data/wifi) is *way* easier on a smartphone keyboard than a feature phone number/key pad. So, even with a more limited daily usage pattern, having a smartphone can make sense.
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The funny thing is people who do that are probably very easy to track because they think they have 'solved' the problem while being blind to all the other tracking that goes on that they are unaware of.
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This. It's also like those people who just "airgap" and call it a day for network security instead of hiring actual professionals who can setup procedures and practices based on security across the entire organisation.
Up for a little light reading? (Score:2)
Some of these topics are covered in "The Art of Invisibility" by Kevin Mitnick. Good read! https://amzn.to/3DR9dFy [amzn.to]
A good starting point (Score:2)
https://community.e.foundation... [community.e.foundation]
Now, there will be those who argue that even these guys arenâ(TM)t to be trustedâ¦but the odds are good that any phone on that list also has a Google-free, AOSP-based LineageOS port available as well. Iâ(TM)m a fan of /e/âs attempt to recreate the Google ecosystem using AOSP sources, as well as work on a self-hosted Docker container.
Point is that the phones on that list are a reasonable starting point; use /e/ or donâ(TM)t, but at the very least
If you are very worried about privacy... (Score:2)
Apple does not have your data to sell (Score:5, Insightful)
Apple: No way they don't sell your data
Apple has almost no data on you to sell.
Location data is held on device.
Health data is held on device.
Even image analysis of your photo library is all done on device.
If you actually care about privacy, it's insane to buy anything but Apple devices, full stop. Because they make money from hardware, not you, and because as I said - they just don't even have your data to lead them into temptation.
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Yet.
"Yet" never comes (Score:4, Insightful)
People have been saying "yet" for ten years now.
But where's any reason why they would? Where is any logic?
Why would Apple, one of the most profitable companies on earth, turn away from the massive success they have had protecting user privacy, to become another Google or Facebook? Both those companies are struggling, and widely hated to boot. Why would Apple ever want any part of that action?
Apple likes what they have so they will keeping what has worked, not move to what is obviously breaking.
Re: "Yet" never comes (Score:2)
The walled garden, which is a problem for nebulous reasons no one can ever reasonably articulate, other than walled garden
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Apple is a company. Companies don't have principles, or morals.
When Apple gets a new CEO who thinks it'll make more money to gather and sell personal data of all the people that bought into, and are locked into, their eco system, then that is what will happen.
It really does not matter how or what Apple was in the past.
At this moment, Apple is the most privacy conscious of the large phone related companies. "At this moment" being the key phrase.
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Apple is a company. Companies don't have principles, or morals.
When Apple gets a new CEO who thinks it'll make more money to gather and sell personal data of all the people that bought into, and are locked into, their eco system, then that is what will happen.
It really does not matter how or what Apple was in the past.
At this moment, Apple is the most privacy conscious of the large phone related companies. "At this moment" being the key phrase.
Remember when Google literally had a "don't be evil" policy? There's a nice example right there of how it could play out with Apple.
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Funny, I haven't seen any pink unicorns....yet.
A modern Pixel device running LineageOS (Score:5, Interesting)
Michael Bazzell has discussed this exact issue on several episodes of his podcast. He discusses the benefits and challenges associated with going without Google and other major services. His basic solution is a modern Pixel device flashed with LineageOS without any Google services (even the pico package) installed. He goes a few steps further (which he discusses in detail in his book, Extreme Privacy) and never uses the phone for cell calls or SMS, relying exclusively on VoIP services for both. He doesn't even know the phone's number, and uses a SIM from Mint Mobile under a false name to reduce trackability, and he gets a new SIM (so new number) roughly annually.
There are significant challenges with LineageOS, which does not come with anything from Google installed. Some apps will not run without Google Play, while others will run but not well because they rely on Google Play for things like push notifications, which they then have to manage themselves, which uses battery (Signal is one example). Bazzell gets around this by simply not using push functions. He checks for SMS, Signal, email, and other messages manually 3-4 times a day, and tells people that if it's urgent, they should call him directly.
Further challenges come from avoiding apps that collect data, like map applications to replace Google Maps. I'm blanking on his solution for that, but he goes into it as well. But he has a lot of solutions for things like email (Proton), VPN (again, Proton), and many others.
I encourage you to check out his podcast and find the episodes from the last year or so where he talks about this before you make your choice.
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Michael Bazzell has discussed this exact issue on several episodes of his podcast. He discusses the benefits and challenges associated with going without Google and other major services. His basic solution is a modern Pixel device flashed with LineageOS without any Google services (even the pico package) installed. He goes a few steps further (which he discusses in detail in his book, Extreme Privacy) and never uses the phone for cell calls or SMS, relying exclusively on VoIP services for both. He doesn't even know the phone's number, and uses a SIM from Mint Mobile under a false name to reduce trackability, and he gets a new SIM (so new number) roughly annually.
I'm dubious that his extreme efforts are warranted and that anyone cares enough about him and/or his activities (or almost anyone) to justify this level of effort to "preserve his privacy" -- unless he's dodging paying child support, being actively hunted, or something equally non-routine. Sounds like an interesting, if tedious, hobby though.
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He does it for a living as privacy and security consultant. The podcast is called The Privacy Podcast. Based on what he has described over the years, he was in law enforcement as well as had Top Secret clearance, so he's worked in fields related to privacy and security. Now I guess he helps people who are being harassed and/or stalked ,or are trying to avoid those things happening to them, and have the money to pay to someone who can help them avoid the harassment. His website is something like "inteltechni
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Thanks, that makes more sense now.
Sony Xperia X10 III (Score:2)
How paranoid do you want to be? (Score:2)
Some amount is warranted, but ultimately you cannot prevent the phone from tracking you in detail. The baseband processor is not under your control, and you don't know what it can do to/with your assorted resources. How much effort is it worth it to go to as long as that's true?
pine phone or pine phone pro (Score:4, Interesting)
Whatever's rootable (Score:2)
Once you can root the phone and install your own Android distro with full-disk encryption enabled, you're doing pretty well on privacy already. There are probably phones that come with open-source hardware and tamper-proofing devices but that's getting deep in the diminishing returns.
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Exactly. What you need is firmware with source code available and no ties to the phone manufacturer.
Seems a tad sophomoric (Score:2)
"Apple: No way they don't sell your data... Sure, they have privacy for third-party apps, but what about the data they collect from the phone itself? Consider what the revenue is on a single smartphone (say $150), how do you think they have all that cash on hand?"
Apple has very popular products which they sell at very high margins. A significant number of their customers do rather silly things like buy a new high-end phone every year. There's no need for hand-wavy conspiracy theories to explain all the cash
Re: Seems a tad sophomoric (Score:2)
Google is the same.
Google has ad products that make a lot of money. The details are public. There is no reason for there to be some super secret ad product where they invade your privacy.
For scary privacy violations I'm surprised you didn't mention government overreach, it's well documented at this point.
Re: Seems a tad sophomoric (Score:2)
Whoops, I meant: surprised OP didn't mention...
Privacy and data collection. (Score:2)
This presumes that the routine data collected for an individual (ie: you) is actually that valuable. It's probably not. Do I really care that Google knows I'm at Walmart? No. What's more valuable is probably the data collected as a whole across many phones for patterns, trends, etc... Certainly, there may/will be specific things on, and/or activities you do with, your phone that may be more sensitive and that you'd like to ensure are not tracked or collected. For those things, either turn off features on
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This presumes that the routine data collected for an individual (ie: you) is actually that valuable. It's probably not.
Lets see who is searching for some product on line. Quick check of their bank account* and, yes, they can afford the higher price. So we won't show them the cheaper options. Maybe they are a social influencer. So we'll get our SWAG into their hands with a lower price. So sucker followers will buy some too.
You want privacy? Get a phone and a prepaid SIM with cash. Maybe even a couple of them. Now do your searches using different identities and see what the price differences (and product availability**) are.
Classic Conspiracy Theory Thinking (Score:5, Insightful)
Apple: No way they don't sell your data... Sure, they have privacy for third-party apps, but what about the data they collect from the phone itself? Consider what the revenue is on a single smartphone (say $150), how do you think they have all that cash on hand?
Unless you have evidence, this is just your rationalization crossed with suspicion. I can give explanations for their cash on hand without resorting to data sales. It’s on YOU to provide evidence. If you can’t, then don’t say it.
This has nothing to do with Apple. It doesn’t matter who you are talking about, without evidence you’re just talking crap.
Let’s stick to the facts.
Re:Classic Conspiracy Theory Thinking (Score:5, Insightful)
In all the years of Slashdot I don't think I've ever made a "mod this up" comment, but this really should be the whole discussion. This summary should really read "well it's definitely Apple, but I guess I don't want it to be for reasons, so they can't be."
Apple is full of problems, but do they have a better track record than everybody else listed? Unless you just declare they don't with no evidence, yes.
The real problem here is the title says "which is best" but the actual question seems to be "which is adequate for some requirements I don't comment on." No one can answer that.
Iphones are half of apples REVENUE (Score:2)
which are not profits.
where does apple get it's cash? music and apps and cuts of app revenue-- which requires having the #1 wanted piece of hardware
they could sell the phones at a loss, and make it up from itunes and appstore revenue
(that would be anti-monopolistic and get them in legal troubles)
this is probably pretty private (Score:2)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
Pixel but with graphene os (Score:2)
Graphene It's an interesting OS for android with a focus on security. Google's apps are treated the same as third party apps.
sick of the conspiracy theories (Score:5, Funny)
If only Apple were a publicly-traded company. They would have to submit quarterly financial statements accounting for all their sources of income that create "all that cash on hand." Instead of speculating about what happens inside this black box, we'd have the transparency to see how they're monetizing user data. Apple executives would even be susceptible to prison sentences should they obfuscate the reporting of income within those financial statements.
Sadly, until they decide to launch an IPO and sell Apple stock, we'll be left to assume all their wealth comes from the abuse of their customer's privacy as described by the OP.
Any Pixel but only when running a custom ROM (Score:2)
I like running Pixel phones with custom ROMS and running Island with device ID and account spoofing. It allows me to continue to use Google apps but in a way that spoofs which phone and user is using them at each startup.
Purism Librem 5 (Score:2)
None of these (Score:2)
The others you may be able to trust a little if they publish the firmware source code (not many do, Fairpone is one of them), but what you really want is the manufacturer not (actively or passively) sabotaging alternate firmware.
In both aspects none of Google, Apple or Samsung qualify.
Phone (Score:2)
AT&T Trimline 210M
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Purism Phone: Can you wait ten days to a year? (Score:2)
Go get your own OS (Score:2)
Software not hardware (Score:3)
Least Bad Option (Score:2)
The least bad option, because they're all degrees of terrible, is the iPhone. Assuming you don't want to go with one of the snake oil devices being sold by grifters who learned at the feet of Trump for 4-years.
Yes, Apple sells ads, yes they have made some of the same monopolistic moves as Google to squeeze out competitors, yes they will collect telemetry data on you that you cannot avoid, yes they will do all the other horrible things Google and Samsung will... Just not quite as much. I forget the exact num
I make stuff up too.. (Score:2)
Somebody said:
Apple: No way they don't sell your data... Sure, they have privacy for third-party apps, but what about the data they collect from the phone itself? Consider what the revenue is on a single smartphone (say $150), how do you think they have all that cash on hand?
Would be great if you had proof to backup your delusional posting. I'm betting they make more than 150 on a 900 dollar phone but I also don't have numbers to back it up so I won't make up stuff. BUT I doubt Apple sells off any info,
Volla, fairphone, nurema and F(x)tec (Score:2)
All really depends of what you need/want/use, but try these:
Volla have good phones, comes with their own Os (volla OS, but based in android) and you can replace it with ubports (ubuntu touch)
https://volla.online/en/index.... [volla.online]
Fairphonem uses android, but is open enough that you can replace with other systems, like ubports, calyxos /e/OS, lineageos and others
https://forum.fairphone.com/t/... [fairphone.com]
F(x)tec, can use ubports or lineageos or android, have good hardware and physical keyboard
https://www.fxtec.com/pro1x [fxtec.com]
you
Practically, Apple. Otherwise none. (Score:5, Insightful)
If you're going high end it's either iOS or Android.
And only Apple's business model is about selling you hardware rather than selling your information. Samsung would like to be in that market, but they're bound to Android (as much as they desperately try to get traction with Tizen, etc).
Depending on how paranoid you are you'd just have a cheap flip phone. But even there your carrier is tracking you everywhere, even if you 'disable' location services. You'd have to go off the grid.
For myself, I 'need' the smartphone functionality. I know Apple is tracking stuff and not perfect, but they're far more serious about not selling my info than Google. They're selling me hardware based on that. So I jumped from Android to iOS. YMMV.
Re: (Score:2)
1. There is no privacy on the internet.
Well, if you start with something that is untrue, you can of course derive any arbitrary nonsense from that...
Re: Focus on (your) data control (Score:2)
There is an alternative - get a prepaid phone, pay the bill in cash at the atm in the store or buy paper refill cards, use a disposable email address for on phone services. All of this is as anonymous as possible in todays world
Re: (Score:2)
There is an alternative - get a prepaid phone, pay the bill in cash at the atm in the store or buy paper refill cards, use a disposable email address for on phone services. All of this is as anonymous as possible in todays world
And wear a mask to help against the surveillance cameras. Post-2020 it's accepted behaviour across most of the globe.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)