If you’re running stock android you’re running a closed OS that can be set up to spy on you just as easily as iOS. The existence of AOSP does not confer any “protection” if you run stock android, because you can’t know what other code google added onto it.
As much as they might want, Google cant scan local phone files with server side code...
Apple on the other hand just has to break a small pinky promise, code and infra is already there.
See the difference?
One is relying on a pinky promise, one is knowing they cant if you dont upload.
> If you’re running stock android you’re running a closed OS
Here's the source code: https://source.android.com/
What parts are closed source? How does this compare to Apple where everything is closed source?
> because you can’t know what other code google added onto it.
There are security researchers you know? the shitstorm that would appear on funny business will rival the one you see now.
In this day and age, if you don't trust your phone vendor with your data, you shouldn't be using it. They can do anything at any time and you wouldn't know. Even if there is no tracking code on your phone at this moment, they can put it on at any time.
Can't find the news article anymore but there was an incident where Google accidentally turned on airplane mode for every pixel at once via their remote control tools.
Apple does too, its called software updates.
Here's the deal:
- Google could develop software/infrastructure to scan on your phone client side.
- Apple has it deployed already.
This is just false.
What Apple has deployed doesn’t do anything nefarious, and is not easily repurposed.
Both companies would need to deploy a new mechanism via software update.
Seems like it's very easily repurposed since it's already activated (by mistake?) - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=28285567
Not all Pixel devices; mine doesn't even have Play services installed: