You know what I do?

I have a second iphone.

main iphone - mostly revolves around phone and messages. lockdown mode. no bluetooth, no wifi, no location services, privacy stuff all restricted. I also do some web browsing. I run adblock which lets you filter lots of stuff. apple id signed out.

and my second iphone - offline iphone.

I install it using ethernet with outside connection (usb->ethernet dongles work for iphone)

I delete MANY apps, like phone, messages, tips, stock, health, news, tv, all happily.

I install some 3rd-party apps.

I sign into the app store only with apple id.

I install adblock and enable it.

I install audible and kindle, add books/audiobooks (adblock prevents some ad connections like kochava.com)

translation (offline). siri (offline). maps (offline).

All of these have offline data that I download.

Then I sign out of icloud (the app store conveniently kind-of-signs-you in)

-> and I disconnect the phone for the last time.

then I turn on:

- bluetooth on.

- location services on.

- camera with location services.

- siri

I don't use wifi, just the ethernet to my (local only) network. I use some apps that talk to my local network - omnifocus, nextcloud.

and I have an offline phone that doesn't phone home.

the maps problem is: apple offline maps last 30 days then disappear. There are lots of complaints online about this. "I was in timbuktu with no internet and couldn't navigate back to the village because the maps expired".

If I need them have I wipe the phone and start over. Jerks.

also audible downloads auto-remove when you get to the end. hard to find settings: Downloads -> settings -> auto remove books: off

Maybe excessive, but it makes me happy.

like are you okay?

Why?

The best part of computers is the convenience, I think.