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Is Google that bad?
- Thread starter Bill21
- Start date
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Steve Adams
macrumors 68000
NO. Google is NOT that bad, Tech influencers and fanboys say it is. I am OS agnostic, I have and use everything - from android, iOS/iPadOS, linux, windows, etc. and google is no worse or better than any other tech company. They are all the same. They all want your money. They are not your friend and they don't care about your privacy, well being or any such nonsense that some claim about other companies here and elsewhere.
If you like a device and apps, use them and be happy. They ALL DO THE SAME THING! Have a great day Bill.
If you like a device and apps, use them and be happy. They ALL DO THE SAME THING! Have a great day Bill.
NUFC2025
macrumors 6502a
Couldn't agree more.
Every big tech company are exactly the same regarding privacy.
Steve Adams
macrumors 68000
It's refreshing to see more people on here starting to figure that out instead of blindly following the marketing team if you get my drift.
NUFC2025
macrumors 6502a
I have been banging on about this to my family for years but it falls on deaf ears most of the time and they all think I am paranoid about it.
QuantumZero
macrumors newbie
I think the fear is overblown. I have a Pixel phone and with a bit of work you can disable a lot of these telemetries "features" just by digging into the settings, both of the phone itself and of your Google account.
On the contrary, Chinese OEMs require ADB privileges most of the time.
On the contrary, Chinese OEMs require ADB privileges most of the time.
WardC
macrumors 68030
Google has opt-in options to not store your user history. Login/Logout on all. Google is the most powerful and all-encompassing Search Engine for Big Info Aquisition. Use as you May…
This being an Apple focused site, Google being an arch rival that's also a partner of sorts it’s fashionable for some commenters to criticize the big G. It’s a high stakes game which can obscure things. Time will reveal more.
lowendlinux
macrumors 603
boswald
macrumors 68030
They're almost all the same at this point. Ads are a dying resource with the rise of blockers, so now the value comes in the form of personal data they can sell off.
Bkdodger
macrumors 601
I have Pixel 10 Pro XL I turn on all Google services, some don't like the AI and features like my buddy has his turned off on his Pixel so you can pick and choose how you roll on Android.
Steve Adams
macrumors 68000
Had another hacked iPhone come in the store today. Security and privacy something....something. They clicked on a email link and their iphone loaded apps on it and they cannot be deleted.
There seems to be a weird uptick in anti Android/Google posts recently. Not sure if people have suddenly discovered this sub forum, or there's some weird pro apple campaign
tbayrgs
macrumors 604
I haven’t noticed a big difference in anti-android posts recently, but certainly can feel a rising sentiment against AI all over the place. Considering Google is really leaning heavily into Gemini across all their products, obviously including android, maybe that’s contributing to a perception of anti-android? I’m not sure….
BigMcGuire
macrumors G4
My $.02 as a kid growing up in the 90s. I remember when Google entered the scene after Yahoo was pretty big. Google and it’s “Do No Evil” mantra - helping education, learning, information, and had a lot of really cool side projects that it allowed its developers to work on - I beta tested a lot of them (often times us Beta Testers had way more features/unlimited abilities than the final product). They had and have some really cool projects (Code, Scholar, etc).
Then as time went on Google started cancelling things, shutting things down, turning off features, slowing down uploads, removing its mantra… It’s employees were allowed less and less time to do what they loved and were given less perks - all this despite Google making billions and billions more than ever.
I loved Android when it first came out - the freedom to do what you wanted (Droid 1, Note 3, etc). But then bootloaders became locked and you weren’t allowed to uninstall apps on phones you owned my opinion changed. At least I could root my Note 3 and install an ASOP or Privacy Focused Android OS on it.
Google’s business model is you, the customer. You are the product they are selling. That is why their products are free to use for the most part. It is in the business of advertisement.
Apple’s business model is their hardware (for now). Their hardware is the product they are selling so they have less incentive to sell you and your data/usage habits/etc. Apple (for now) respects your privacy and has more privacy features than others.
But as Apple makes more and more $ from services, I imagine that will change.
AI, for now, is a venture that is losing a massive amount of money - they are going to be looking to monetize it anyway they can. The fact that these companies have so much money to throw at AI is pretty crazy - all the while firing thousands of employees because… $???.
Then as time went on Google started cancelling things, shutting things down, turning off features, slowing down uploads, removing its mantra… It’s employees were allowed less and less time to do what they loved and were given less perks - all this despite Google making billions and billions more than ever.
I loved Android when it first came out - the freedom to do what you wanted (Droid 1, Note 3, etc). But then bootloaders became locked and you weren’t allowed to uninstall apps on phones you owned my opinion changed. At least I could root my Note 3 and install an ASOP or Privacy Focused Android OS on it.
Google’s business model is you, the customer. You are the product they are selling. That is why their products are free to use for the most part. It is in the business of advertisement.
Apple’s business model is their hardware (for now). Their hardware is the product they are selling so they have less incentive to sell you and your data/usage habits/etc. Apple (for now) respects your privacy and has more privacy features than others.
But as Apple makes more and more $ from services, I imagine that will change.
AI, for now, is a venture that is losing a massive amount of money - they are going to be looking to monetize it anyway they can. The fact that these companies have so much money to throw at AI is pretty crazy - all the while firing thousands of employees because… $???.
Steve Adams
macrumors 68000
Ai is a fad. Trillions of dollars will be wasted. As for Apple, don't kid yourself, you are the product too. They are all the same.
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Apple are better at hiding their tracking than Google. The apple privacy thing is a myth imo. Also as soon as you sign into Google, meta etal then it's all the same.
Not true. Google has as its primary business model scraping customers' personal data for resale. Others do not; e.g. Apple's model is to make good products and lots of money when the products are good.
Sure all devices/apps "work," but they are NOT the same. IMO yes, Google IS that bad. And yes privacy treatment by different entities varies greatly, even very obviously.
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Steve Adams
macrumors 68000
Again. Don't kid yourself. As I said, and everyone knows. A publicly traded company cares about one thing, and one thing only. MONEY. They don't care about your privacy, they don't care about your well being, They don't care about anything about you only your Wallet/Purse. That's it. If you think anything else, their marketing team had some good juju on you.
Apple is no better, they just hide behind their marketing team.
Apple sells good products for a premium whilst scraping your data. Hate to break it to you.
Steve Adams
macrumors 68000
Exactly. That's why I prefer android and their cheaper devices. Same result but way more money in my pocket instead of others.
Steve Adams
macrumors 68000
Exactly. Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, etc etc etc...are exactly the same.
HouseLannister
macrumors 68040
Another newbie OP dropping into the Android subforum to throw stones and disappear. Stop feeding the trolls.
ProbablyDylan
macrumors 68040
I think they're pretty bad. Not because of their data practices or whatever. It's the contempt they have for their own users. YouTube is still worse in Firefox than in a chromium-based browser.