Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

nfl46

macrumors G3
Oct 5, 2008
8,537
9,504
FC6F70C7-ECCC-4B6D-B9AC-B46AE09A75A0.jpeg

Android 13 is out? Haven't heard that. I prdfer app updates as I never really notice much difference in OS updates anymore.
Android 13 previews started in February and now it’s in beta stage.
 

bingeciren

macrumors 65816
Sep 6, 2011
1,070
1,010
Anybody thinks ios is more private than Android should watch Rob Braxman on YouTube. In fact Apple is far more scary than Google/Android if you ask me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jdlindsey7

DrCC

macrumors 6502
Nov 21, 2021
257
184
Canada
A quick thing that just happened now. You make your own judgement about Google and its services.

1. I searched for a topic of interest on YouTube, I was researching something. I am logged in YouTube by using my University provided email which uses GMail in the back end.

2. Later I opened up Reddit to check on some news that I follow. To log in into Reddit I use my personal GMail account which is different than the one I use for YouTube.

3. Lo and behold, my whole Reddit suggestions feed is invaded with suggestions regarding what I searched earlier on YouTube, but I have never searched for this particular topic on Reddit. I am using different email addresses to log in to YouTube and Reddit and somehow the two "talked" to each other.

How and why did this happen? I am using Safari with Private relay enabled. The only connection is Gmail for both even though with different email addresses.
And why did Google allow the YouTube search history to spill into Reddit? This is beyond ridiculous and it blows my mind. Sure, this particular incident doesn't negatively affect me and I could let it slide, but I am also using Gmail for banking and all other sensitive personal information.

And yeah, this post doesn't have anything to do with Android, but to me it is an example of Google policies and the same policies are baked into Android. On your end, the choice is yours.

P.S. I do agree Apple probably tracks everything just like Google, but they claim everything is encrypted and nothing leaks out. I am curious and I'll test this. I'll switch over my Gmail to iCloud mail and I'll test the security and privacy that Apple brags about, I'll see if the grass is greener on the other side ...
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: MajorFubar

joshwithachance

macrumors 68020
Dec 11, 2009
2,104
1,320
It's been 14 years and apps are STILL always better on iOS. There's an elegance and finesse to iOS that I don't think Android will ever be able to match. Customization is overrated; I just want a solid, stable experience in the essential tasks. The fact that you cannot send high quality photos or videos over SMS/MMS is one of the major dealbreakers of Android for me (along with terrible in app photo/video quality), and I'm glad 95% of the people I talk to regularly have iOS solely for that reason.
 

SteveJUAE

macrumors 601
Aug 14, 2015
4,511
4,750
Land of Smiles
It's been 14 years and apps are STILL always better on iOS. There's an elegance and finesse to iOS that I don't think Android will ever be able to match. Customization is overrated; I just want a solid, stable experience in the essential tasks. The fact that you cannot send high quality photos or videos over SMS/MMS is one of the major dealbreakers of Android for me (along with terrible in app photo/video quality), and I'm glad 95% of the people I talk to regularly have iOS solely for that reason.
Perhaps it's your own limitation that you cannot customise and add your own elegance or finesse

I think most here do not have too stray too far in to the forums of late to see how buggy recent IOS releases have been

You cant send high quality photos or videos over SMS/MMS on any phone including an iPhone and I certainly would not want such a restrictive comms offered by Apple that's a joke app internationally and just bloatware like facetime for what they are worth outside of ~50% of 2 or 3 countries
 
  • Love
Reactions: gusmula

DrCC

macrumors 6502
Nov 21, 2021
257
184
Canada
It's not Apple nor Google that I'm concerned with, it's the 3rd party developers, and the kind of cross data they can gather off the phone.
So far, the iPhone is asking me for each app if I allow it to track. Obviously no.
I have not had this option on the Pixel when I was using Android, so it is a free for all apps on Android.
Enough said.
 

Vegastouch

macrumors 603
Jul 12, 2008
6,185
992
Las Vegas, NV
So far, the iPhone is asking me for each app if I allow it to track. Obviously no.
I have not had this option on the Pixel when I was using Android, so it is a free for all apps on Android.
Enough said.
Android used to ask for permissions all the time back when Apple did not and even then people were saying Apple was more secure.

I don't care what others say, only if you are worried about something does this matter because you aren't any more secure with Apple. And if you are worried, don't have a smart phone.
 

DrCC

macrumors 6502
Nov 21, 2021
257
184
Canada
Permissions yes on Android, but not specific permissions about tracking usage accross apps. I have not seen anything about tracking on my Pixel 4 running Android 12 until December 2021. I have pulled the plug on Android after so maybe things have changed? iOS asks about a particular App tracking. And also, for some Apps, iOS offers the option of giving permissions for 1 day only, then the permission is removed. This comes in handy when I really need to use an app, but then I want to have it locked away with no permissions.
Anyway, for each of is, it is what it is and we each will accept the cons and pros based on what we need and what we are willing to accept as a compromise. In the end more choice is good and more competition is also good.
 

Vegastouch

macrumors 603
Jul 12, 2008
6,185
992
Las Vegas, NV
Permissions yes on Android, but not specific permissions about tracking usage accross apps. I have not seen anything about tracking on my Pixel 4 running Android 12 until December 2021. I have pulled the plug on Android after so maybe things have changed? iOS asks about a particular App tracking. And also, for some Apps, iOS offers the option of giving permissions for 1 day only, then the permission is removed. This comes in handy when I really need to use an app, but then I want to have it locked away with no permissions.
Anyway, for each of is, it is what it is and we each will accept the cons and pros based on what we need and what we are willing to accept as a compromise. In the end more choice is good and more competition is also good.

Isn't location the same as tracking? I never look anymore but they are there if you look within the app before installing it. And you can have location used on an app or not. After you install it, you can set it for only when using the app or always on. Think you can choose never as well.

In any case, it's what you are comfortable with. If you think Apple is better, then cool. Go with that.

Screenshot_20220607-161212.png
Screenshot_20220607-161252.png
 
Last edited:

DrCC

macrumors 6502
Nov 21, 2021
257
184
Canada
Location isn't the same as tracking. This is what I mean. Tracking means spying on what you do, it is way more than just location access.
Tracking.jpeg


Also you can allow Apps access only once, then the access is removed.

Tracking 2.jpeg
 

Heat_Fan89

macrumors 68030
Feb 23, 2016
2,931
3,817
I remember making the mistake of downloading the Burger King app because at the time they had crazy deals. I had location enabled, then as I was coming up to a Burger King, I got a notification about isn’t it time for a Whopper? That was the last time I used that app.
 

nickdalzell1

macrumors 68030
Dec 8, 2019
2,787
1,670
None of this affects me since my phone is a 11 year old Android phone. I prefer the UI and the apps UI at the time and I use the same apps I used since 2010. I have no need or want for more than that.

Now, if I tried to use the iPhone 3GS with iOS 6 today, a lot of the apps that worked on the 11 year old Android phone would cease to function, including Kindle (already dead on the iPhone 4!), Weather (no data), AccuWeather (tap the icon, it demands you need to upgrade to iOS 9+ to continue using the app which means 'buy a new phone'). That's just a few I can name off hand.

Neither of those apps force that out of me on my old Android phone. They work fine. Apple demands you keep buying and updating, whether you despise flat UI design or not. Ain't no way I'm going back to that. The latest offense was my iPod touch telling me that I can't re-download Walmart or Kroger apps because it doesn't support iOS 12 anymore. I mean, those apps ran fine before I uninstalled them, and there used to be a way to download the 'last compatible version' not too long ago, but it's gone now?

Makes me glad to use an HTC Thunderbolt. I can use whatever apps I prefer and no one can change that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gusmula

macfacts

macrumors 603
Oct 7, 2012
5,372
6,339
Cybertron
The fact that you cannot send high quality photos or videos over SMS/MMS is one of the major dealbreakers of Android for me (along with terrible in app photo/video quality), and I'm glad 95% of the people I talk to regularly have iOS solely for that reason.
.... So the problem is WhatsApp isn't installed by default?
 

nickdalzell1

macrumors 68030
Dec 8, 2019
2,787
1,670
Android 13 is out? Haven't heard that. I prdfer app updates as I never really notice much difference in OS updates anymore.
I don't even keep up anymore. Nothing today is groundbreaking one bit. A bunch of homogenized phones all looking almost alike. No more variety as in 2010.

Also, there's not much they can make worse with updates now, as apps can only get more and more basic; obviously they're not bringing skeuomorphism back, so I'll just stick with my HTC.
 

sjsharksfan12

macrumors 68020
Jun 29, 2020
2,049
2,511
San Jose, CA
It kind of feels like this thread has turned into "Iphone: Convince Me". Yes there is the privacy angle, but I really do like the customization on Android phones, as well as being able to move apps and widgets anywhere without having a "set" area like Apple has. Also, I listen to podcasts a lot, and I found apps like Podcast Addict are much better than Overcast, overall. It really is about personal preference.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gusmula

nickdalzell1

macrumors 68030
Dec 8, 2019
2,787
1,670
I prefer Android as I can use whatever phone I want and with the older versions of apps I want. With Apple, they want to make you keep buying new phones every 5 or 6 years and keep your apps up to date, whether you like to or not. Otherwise they break. With android I can refuse to update and nothing breaks. I can sideload, totally delete the app store, and so on. I don't need hand holding and I don't want a device telling me to update or that a new update is available or that my phone is too old to run the Kindle app because the OS is 2 generations out of date. I want to use what I like, the UI I like and not keep consuming.

Personally, I consider the lack of updates on Android a feature, not a bug. In fact, ever since iOS 7 and Android 5.0, I no longer believe in updates. I use the same apps I've always used (many of which are Android ports of older apps I used on iOS, such as multiplatform apps like Kindle, AccuWeather, and so on) and since I don't have to worry about them ever changing, I can use them blind if need be. That allows me to relax, and simply enjoy my device, and I don't get stressed out trying to figure out a modern phone, or find where they moved the cheese again from the last app update or OS update. That just becomes too much. I just want to use and enjoy, and be left alone with whatever old device I like.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gusmula

Heat_Fan89

macrumors 68030
Feb 23, 2016
2,931
3,817
I prefer Android as I can use whatever phone I want and with the older versions of apps I want. With Apple, they want to make you keep buying new phones every 5 or 6 years and keep your apps up to date, whether you like to or not. Otherwise they break. With android I can refuse to update and nothing breaks. I can sideload, totally delete the app store, and so on. I don't need hand holding and I don't want a device telling me to update or that a new update is available or that my phone is too old to run the Kindle app because the OS is 2 generations out of date. I want to use what I like, the UI I like and not keep consuming.

Personally, I consider the lack of updates on Android a feature, not a bug. In fact, ever since iOS 7 and Android 5.0, I no longer believe in updates. I use the same apps I've always used (many of which are Android ports of older apps I used on iOS, such as multiplatform apps like Kindle, AccuWeather, and so on) and since I don't have to worry about them ever changing, I can use them blind if need be. That allows me to relax, and simply enjoy my device, and I don't get stressed out trying to figure out a modern phone, or find where they moved the cheese again from the last app update or OS update. That just becomes too much. I just want to use and enjoy, and be left alone with whatever old device I like.
That's where Android has an advantage over iOS. With Android, the apps are not tied to firmware updates. If you want the latest version of Safari, you have to wait for an Apple firmware update. When they stop supporting a given device, the core Apps no longer get any updates and when websites make future updates you are SOL when compatibility breaks with your outdated version of Safari. IIRC, all iOS web browsers are tied to Apple's webkit.

None of that exist with Android as it doesn't tie its OS to its Apps. So if a device no longer gets OS support, your Apps still do. And Android updates its version of Webkit on the Google Play Store so other web browsers can still be current MANY years down the line. I actually prefer the way Android handles its OS vs iOS.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gusmula and mi7chy

nickdalzell1

macrumors 68030
Dec 8, 2019
2,787
1,670
I mean on Apple they go so far as to actually break apps that worked fine if you don't update the OS. For example, on my iPod touch, which never got support after iOS 12, a lot of installed apps no longer open, claiming I need "iOS 14 or above to continue using this app" (Kindle is one of those offenders). Meanwhile that same app works fine on my 11 year old Thunderbolt.

Apps simply break on old iPhones. I would have to constantly update the OS, apps and of course, the phone eventually (once out of support) just to read a freaking Kindle book! In fact, if I re-activated an iPhone 3GS to relive the glory days of iOS 6, outside of messages, phone, iPod, and whatever is left of Safari on it, that's it. It'd be a dumb phone because the app store would be pretty broken and even if there were ways to get older versions of iOS 6 apps on it, they'd refuse to open.

I'm not a fan of that. That's why I love Android among others, and I can use however old phone I love without being pestered to update or having apps just stop working because they demand a later OS even if I don't update the app. With android, I can run stuff on 2.3 Gingerbread from 2009, but I can't get that on an Apple device that's just 2 generations out of date.

TL;DR: Kindle and various other apps don't care what version they're on, or what Android version they're on; they work so long as they can get an internet connection. Apple apps stop working once the OS is 2-updates behind except for core function apps such as phone, Safari, iPod, or Messages.
 

nickdalzell1

macrumors 68030
Dec 8, 2019
2,787
1,670
I don't update anything. Ever. I'm still using a Thunderbolt and it's in its out of box state to this day (running Android 4.0 but still the classic Sense 3 UX). I sideloaded the few apps that I've used since my Optimus V, including original Angry Birds and Cut the Rope. Before the era of IAP and ads.

I lost confidence in even app updates since they almost always flatten the UI or move things around forcing me to relearn them. Then there's the more resources they demand. My HTC runs like a new phone since I never updated anything and never set up a Google account on it. Also has the benefit of being small and usable one-handed.
 

mi7chy

macrumors G4
Oct 24, 2014
10,625
11,296
iOS is not only gimped but policies are restrictive. One of my many complaints that's being brought to light.

https://9to5mac.com/2022/06/10/cloud-gaming/
"Apple’s ban on cloud gaming services in the App Store, and its insistence that all iOS browser apps must use its own WebKit browser engine, have both been declared to be anticompetitive by the UK competition watchdog."
 

nickdalzell1

macrumors 68030
Dec 8, 2019
2,787
1,670
Ban on cloud gaming services? Doesn't Apple actually make such a service (arcade) or was I dreaming again?
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.