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So Android is now no better than iOS - and Apple has privacy. Any HN'ers out there with an iPhone but no other Apple devices? Do you face any limitations or so

So Android is now no better than iOS - and Apple has privacy. Any HN'ers out there with an iPhone but no other Apple devices? Do you face any limitations or so forth?

gumby271 1y ago
I'm not sure the release of Google Pixel phone binaries is what made Android distinct from iOS. I'm pretty sure I still cant choose what software runs on iOS outside of Apple saying so, and that's one of the largest distinctions that's brought up. If Apple were to change that, then I'd fully agree.
- zamalek 1y ago
  > I'm pretty sure I still cant choose what software runs on iOS outside of Apple saying so Do you mean sideloading/custom stores (at least in the US)? That's a good point. However, the lack of the binaries makes the situation with the OS effectively the same. Once the device is EOL it's e-waste.
  - gumby271 1y ago
    > However, the lack of the binaries makes the situation with the OS effectively the same. Once the device is EOL it's e-waste. Agreed, I'm definitely disappointed in this. The coupling of the hardware and software makes the Pixel phones worthless outside of Google's supported android version for it. I'd love to see some kind of consumer protection laws against this, mandating at least some level of usefulness of the hardware outside of the vendor sanctioned OS.
  - yencabulator 1y ago
    > Once the device is EOL it's e-waste. This was largely true before already. Once the security updates stop, the hardware is best used as a paperweight. And with practically all phone hardware, only the hardware vendor (and all their suppliers!) are the ones capable of updating the device drivers and various chipset firmwares. Blame the hardware that relies on binary blobs and vendor-forked kernels that never contribute to mainline.
rootnod3 1y ago
One limitation is for example when an update goes wrong (rare, but can happen). You need a MacBook or anything else running MacOS to restore the device. Or might have to go to an Apple Store. Otherwise, no real limitations. I run an iPhone but my main personal laptop is an old T480 with FreeBSD. I do have a spare MacBook Air flying around just in case though.
- Macha 1y ago
  > You need a MacBook or anything else running MacOS to restore the device. Does iTunes for Windows no longer do restores? It did in the past.
  - RedCardRef 1y ago
    IIRC, the microsoft store version is incapable for doing full restore from a recovery state. You need the "windows" .exe version from itunes.com
thayne 1y ago
It isn't no better than iOS. It is less better than iOS than it used to be. Much of the OS is still open source, and it is still more open than iOS. It is a concerning direction, but it isn't so bad yet that I will switch to Apple's closed ecosystem.
asadm 1y ago
Well I can run Debian and terminal emulator at good speed on my Android.

So Android is now no better than iOS - and Apple has privacy. Any HN'ers out there with an iPhone but no other Apple devices? Do you face any limitations or so forth?

gumby271 1y ago

I'm not sure the release of Google Pixel phone binaries is what made Android distinct from iOS. I'm pretty sure I still cant choose what software runs on iOS outside of Apple saying so, and that's one of the largest distinctions that's brought up. If Apple were to change that, then I'd fully agree.

zamalek 1y ago
> I'm pretty sure I still cant choose what software runs on iOS outside of Apple saying so Do you mean sideloading/custom stores (at least in the US)? That's a good point. However, the lack of the binaries makes the situation with the OS effectively the same. Once the device is EOL it's e-waste.
- gumby271 1y ago
  > However, the lack of the binaries makes the situation with the OS effectively the same. Once the device is EOL it's e-waste. Agreed, I'm definitely disappointed in this. The coupling of the hardware and software makes the Pixel phones worthless outside of Google's supported android version for it. I'd love to see some kind of consumer protection laws against this, mandating at least some level of usefulness of the hardware outside of the vendor sanctioned OS.
- yencabulator 1y ago
  > Once the device is EOL it's e-waste. This was largely true before already. Once the security updates stop, the hardware is best used as a paperweight. And with practically all phone hardware, only the hardware vendor (and all their suppliers!) are the ones capable of updating the device drivers and various chipset firmwares. Blame the hardware that relies on binary blobs and vendor-forked kernels that never contribute to mainline.

rootnod3 1y ago

One limitation is for example when an update goes wrong (rare, but can happen). You need a MacBook or anything else running MacOS to restore the device. Or might have to go to an Apple Store. Otherwise, no real limitations. I run an iPhone but my main personal laptop is an old T480 with FreeBSD. I do have a spare MacBook Air flying around just in case though.

Macha 1y ago
> You need a MacBook or anything else running MacOS to restore the device. Does iTunes for Windows no longer do restores? It did in the past.
- RedCardRef 1y ago
  IIRC, the microsoft store version is incapable for doing full restore from a recovery state. You need the "windows" .exe version from itunes.com

thayne 1y ago

It isn't no better than iOS. It is less better than iOS than it used to be. Much of the OS is still open source, and it is still more open than iOS. It is a concerning direction, but it isn't so bad yet that I will switch to Apple's closed ecosystem.

asadm 1y ago

Well I can run Debian and terminal emulator at good speed on my Android.