I’m a long time Apple user. But I never do anything that locks me into Apple in a way that makes me dependent on Apple. I could move to Linux tomorrow and everything I depend on would be fine. There’s no Apple service I actually need.

I think Google and Android is worse in this way. The backup Android I had years ago forced me to login with my Gmail or I couldn’t use it. My old iPhone happily runs without being logged in. I just lose the cloud features. Whatever.

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vintagedave 10 hours ago | parent | next [-]

That may be true for you but it's not true for many people, like me.

I have twenty years of iPhone data, eg messages, apps, etc. I can't easily move to some other phone.

A desktop, maybe, but I'd still have to repurchase or find alternates to a bunch of software. It is far, far better if the existing system _stays useful_.

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sillyfluke 7 hours ago | parent | next [-]

>It is far, far better if the existing system _stays useful_

I doubt anyone is arguing the opposite. The point of the parent is that the system staying useful and not turning hostile on your usecase is not under your control or something you can personally prevent, and until that magically changes it's best to structure your use case to be least affected by things not in your control.

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throwaway2037 7 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

"twenty years"? Wasn't the iPhone released in 2007?

	▲	selectodude 6 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I think rounding over 18 years up to 20 is reasonable.

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opan 10 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

I've used my past several Android phones without signing into a Google account or using gapps. I pick something with LineageOS support (usually OnePlus stuff) and get it from eBay, update to latest stock firmware (gets newer baseband and such) then flash LineageOS over it and get my apps from F-Droid.

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2muchcoffeeman 9 hours ago | parent [-]

These, “just change the firmware” comments are silly. I should get basic phone functionality from my phone out of the box with exactly ZERO effort.

I can use an iPhone without an Apple account. I cannot use an Android phone without a Google account unless they changed that in the last few years.

	▲	freedomben 44 minutes ago \| parent \| next [-]
		You absolutely can use Android without a Google account. I have a device like that currently. You won't get the play store and some other features, but I believe that is also true of Apple (at least was of it isn't any more)
	▲	sillyfluke 7 hours ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		Both Android and iphones require an account to download apps I believe. Am I mistaken here? Other than that they can be used in the same way without accounts. In fact, with Android an email account suffices and giving your phone number is "opt-in". Apple forces you to give your phone number to create an account last time I checked. Also no F-droid on iphones? But the iphone is the better "phone" experience because there is less bloat and UI nagging.
	▲	keyringlight 8 hours ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		The other aspect with setting up third party firmware as a general "don't like the stock OS? then do this" option for many is besides the big headline limitations like safetynet/attestation, it also either involves a benevolent third party setting up and maintaining builds for your device (hope you bought a popular model) and any changes match what you want, or individuals doing so themselves
	▲	stonogo 9 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		You can, but you don't get access to the app store.

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lwhi 11 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

What are you going to do with all your Mac hardware?

Throw it in the bin?

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petesergeant 11 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Doesn’t your hardware lock you in?

	▲	2muchcoffeeman 10 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		What? I can and have accessed everything I need on Linux. If you make sure none of your data is locked in, the hardware is just a computer. Absolute worst case, get a new computer.
	▲	carlosjobim 6 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		No. You can always export your files and your passwords etc.

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nixosbestos 11 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

... That's theft protection, and iphones have similar mechanisms. You do not need to sign in, even to a pixel, to use it. Granted you won't get the app store, but you don't get that on iphone either.