Thank you, I am checking them out now!
Yes, you are right. I have slowly been realizing Apple is not the privacy-minded company that I would like.
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Privacy focused alt. to Apple?
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Thanks! Checking all of these out. I may need to concede for now and do a Pixel with other OS on it that you mentioned.
I use iCloud for some of my third party apps. I don't use it for backups, photos, iCloud mail, or iMessage in the Cloud. In that light, I am staying secure. If I store a iPhone or iPad backup in the cloud, I make my backup with iMazing and then copy that backup to my Cryptomator folder in the Cloud. Neither Apple nor the government can see any file names or file extensions with the backup much less access the backup.
I don't think a lot of people realize that when Apple says something is encrypted on their server, that doesn't necessarily mean that it is really private or that Apple doesn't have the decryption key. Anyone who uses iCloud backup and iCloud services like you mentioned, is giving Apple access to their data, the same goes for iCloud photos, iMessage in the Cloud, and even iCloud email.
I hope more people start being proactive and taking the necessary steps to secure their data from Apple, the government, and any bad actor who might one day gain access to the account.
At this moment in time, I am still gathering facts about Apple's new direction and don't think it necessary to jump ship this moment, so long as I can continue keeping Apple out of my business. However, I have no problems changing direction tomorrow or any other day that I feel I can't rightfully protect my usage and data on my phone, whether it be Apple, or some other nonGoogle OS.
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I just installed /e/ on my old HTC 10 and went and tested all my apps. With microG, which comes with /e/ and CalyxOS but not GrapheneOS, I was able to install and use every app I currently use on my iPhone with the Aurora Store except for two credit unions I’m a member of that won’t install.
Seriously thinking I’ll get a Pixel 5a and run CalyxOS and just keep my iPad for those apps that don’t run (or for paid apps). GrapheneOS would likely break a bunch more apps and I’m not sure that I want to have that much of a trade off.
The two credit unions, can the be accessed in a browser app? That could be an option.
Yes they can and it’s totally not a big deal. The main apps I was worried about were Authy, Steam, Bitwarden, Navy Federal, US Bank, Capital One, Citi, AMEX, and my local bank. All those work fine.
I don’t use a ton of third party apps and both of the games I play do work but unfortunately I used Google to login to those so they’ll be iPad games now.
I recently upgraded my Android device and was surprised at the options in Android 11 that are available to protect your privacy far better than I knew (came from Android 8).
There are more privacy options in Android 12 too: https://blog.google/products/android/android-12-beta/
AMEX Serve app runs perfectly fine on non-Googled Android. It ran on my Fire HD, which is a fork of Android sans Google services. So far that's my only 'banking' app.
For those who need the services but don't want to give the privacy out, install Netguard No Root Firewall, and simply switch off ALL internet access to Google Play Services and Google Services Framework. The services will still work locally on-device to authorize the apps and use the location APIs but all data will remain offline. Not transferred to Google. That's my method of 'de-google' since it allows all apps normally affected by custom ROMs to work, just Google never sees any data.
Even Google Assistant has some offline voice commands, such as dim/brighten screen, raise/lower volume, turning on/off wifi but I myself prefer Bixby.
For those who need the services but don't want to give the privacy out, install Netguard No Root Firewall, and simply switch off ALL internet access to Google Play Services and Google Services Framework. The services will still work locally on-device to authorize the apps and use the location APIs but all data will remain offline. Not transferred to Google. That's my method of 'de-google' since it allows all apps normally affected by custom ROMs to work, just Google never sees any data.
Even Google Assistant has some offline voice commands, such as dim/brighten screen, raise/lower volume, turning on/off wifi but I myself prefer Bixby.
Honestly those who are truly obsessed with privacy shouldn’t be buying any phone or be on the internet. I get the concerns but the state of the world I could see this coming from a far…
the privacy marketing by apple was just that marketing …nobody is truly safe
the privacy marketing by apple was just that marketing …nobody is truly safe
Yes and No. I am finding myself surprised at what you can block in 11. From what I am seeing 12 is even better.
iOS is tighter however I am finding Android 11 and likely 12 are not far behind.
Thanks for looking at this. I agree that, for the time being, looking at secure cloud alternatives is probably the better route. I actually started looking at setting up a personal cloud service before this CSAM scanning issue came up. My reasoning at the time was that one family among millions is harder to find (and target) than one major high profile company holding millions of people's data. Plus, you can control your own encryption.
I made some progress by replacing my dying apple router with a Synology router, but kind of let it drop last year because things got busy. However, this latest news has renewed my interest. Initially, dumping iCloud Photos, and eventually iCloud altogether, seems like a good short term solution. But, as others have noted, the on device scanning aspect is what I find most troubling. It seems like it wouldn't take much for them to switch it to scanning devices even with cloud services turned off.
But, for now at least, we have time to figure out if a) we need to extricate ourselves from Apple, and b) take the time to do so if necessary. Because it would be a long, drawn out, and arduous process for many of us. Please do keep us in the loop!
Hah! I actually considered that! Back in January, my old 6S+ took a swim in the ocean. I didn't want to buy a new phone so I spent a few weeks trying to find an iPhone 7+, 8+ or seeing if the cost was worth a X (I really did not want to give up touch ID).
While doing that, I found not having a smart phone strangely freeing. I even stopped wearing my apple watch and started wearing my old Timex watch (10 years old and still humming). I seriously contemplated just getting a "dumb phone" but opted to get the 12 Pro Max using the iPhone upgrade program (I was aiming to wait for a 13 at the time when I thought it would have under screen touch ID).
Still, even now, the idea of giving up on smart phones seems kind of foreign. Especially when so much technology is moving towards people needing them (unfortunately). Plus, I like taking pictures and packing my DSLR around is not always an option.
I've been doing some research on alternatives. Here is what has caught my interest so far:
- Librem 5 - looks interesting, especially because it has hardware kill switches. Also has a rather expensive "US Build" option (it's more of a "we control the supply chain" than a "American made" pitch)
- F(x)tec Pro1 - This looks pretty nice and gives you the option of LineageOS out of the box. I just wish it had hardware kill switches like the Librem
- Pine64 - Mentioned above. This looks promising as you get something the others above don't have...options for smartwatches and tablets. I just wish they had a higher spec'd option than the PinePhone. It's a nice affordable price but the specs are subpar, particularly the cameras. But 6 hardware kill switches is pretty sweet!
If you’re going to go Android, might as well get a Pixel so you actually have some hardware security protection in the Titan M and put CalyxOS on it so you have Lineage with a privacy focus and MicroG for compatibility.
Librem and Pine are out for me because I still want to have a smartphone, not an underpowered Linux device.
Yeah, that's one of my concerns with the Librem and Pine devices. It doesn't seem like their OS's are "fully baked." I also considered that these would probably be better for someone who would be a high profile target like an investigative journalist and not a nobody like me.
I'll look into adding CalyxOS onto a pixel, but the attraction for the F(x)tec was that it was included out of the box and didn't require a lot of effort to modify. I'm fairly tech savvy but I don't have a lot of time these days for hacking a device for myself and my wife.
Android Pie.
I flashed the CalyxOS rom on a Pixel 3a - it was quick. Not like when I rooted an Android phone - lengthy and involved.
Then you would have an Android device that gets regular updates. I believe Calyx does monthly updates.
I'm thinking of swapping out my Apple Watch for something that's specifically designed for fitness tracking considering that's the only feature I actually really care about (and use) on my Apple Watch. I've noticed wearing an Apple Watch is actually pretty irritating because it's a lot more invasive in my life than just using a phone. In particular notifications buzzing my wrist constantly distract me from real life more than just having something faintly buzz in my pocket. The only problem is I'm concerned basically every activity tracking watch system (Garmin, etc.) are storing all of my activity data in some untrusted cloud.
There’s no hacking involved. The Pixels are meant to be unlocked presumably because Google positions them as developer devices. Google makes it extremely easy and as a bonus you can relock to increase security after you flash a custom ROM (which is actually a requirement for GrapheneOS which is the ultra-secured Android fork that doesn’t work with a lot of apps because it’s locked down tight). Calyx has OTA updates and everything so it’s much less a hack and much closer to a native experience.
I tried a flip phone (Alcatel MyFlip) and everything worked although texting was slow, and very few apps are available for KaiOS (no payment apps either, so you don't have NFC convenience)
the deal breaker was the keypad stopped working a few months in, at random (certain keys stopped responding), and my car's bluetooth wouldn't connect to play music from it, and also all the music had to be organized a certain way before the actual phone would see the music.
Moto phones can also be unlocked but they made it a rabbit hole of hell doing so. The procedure is on their website and it's quite involved. After that, root and custom ROMs work quite well.
the deal breaker was the keypad stopped working a few months in, at random (certain keys stopped responding), and my car's bluetooth wouldn't connect to play music from it, and also all the music had to be organized a certain way before the actual phone would see the music.
Moto phones can also be unlocked but they made it a rabbit hole of hell doing so. The procedure is on their website and it's quite involved. After that, root and custom ROMs work quite well.