General Android Phones Privacy. Is it more secure than previous versions? View on ColorOS 12 - OPPO Find X3 Pro

Recent reviews of Android 12 have been enticing me to check back to current changes. Personally, I enjoy Androids (nearly) full customizable & unlockable ecosystem, but the thought of being invasive by customized setups has always haunted me.
I wouldn’t describe myself as paranoid, but with interest in personal privacy protection, especially when it comes to the use of files and location sharing. As a full time Google Suite user, I’m strongly relying on Googles’ Apps and suitable solutions, across private and work.
As we see with the new Android 12 a high priority is placed on Privacy. A brand new Privacy Dashboard app, which is similar to iOS 15, reports which apps are utilizing personal information through sensors on the device. Based on these new (or partly new) implementations, I came across OPPO’s new ColorOS 12 based on Android 12, which seems to be the fastest OEM to catch up on this.
What do we know already? ColorOS 12 comes with a 100% Android Privacy Feature integration, to manage private data and features, including
Privacy Dashboard
Users can now see the type of data that is being accessed by different apps at a glance in one dashboard. OPPO, too, will be hosting this feature, with clear charts showing data and feature permissions, allowing you to see and control which apps have been extracting your data.
Microphone and Camera Indicators
With apps becoming incessantly intrusive, ColorOS 12 will rectify the situation by giving indicators if any app is using the phone’s camera or mic. A flashing icon will be displayed on the status bar to tell you which permission is being accessed by the app.
Microphone and Camera toggles
You can also instantly turn off apps permission to camera and microphone with a single tap, barricading your hardware against any future forced entry attempt via Quick Settings option.
Approximate Location
Next to the previous options of location settings by choosing between “While using the app”, “Only this time” and “Deny” you can provide apps now also an approximate location to hide your exact whereabouts.
Anti-Peeping Notification
A so far ColorOS only feature, previously named Smart Spying Prevention, should help to prevent privacy, or in this case notification content. An AI-enhanced Smart Sensor, recognizes if there’s another person watching your screen and hides content of pop up messages, probably pretty cool in public places.
All in all Android 12 sounds very promising to me. Next to all these features I am hoping that continuous software- and security upgrades will be dropped to ensure ongoing security. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, hoping that Android will do the trick and will keep you updated about my experience with OPPO and ColorOS 12.
What are your thoughts on this?

As far as I'm concerned Android 11 and 12 are dead meat. A bad Apple...
If you're careful with your configuration, load only trusted apps, run a firewall and don't to stupid things Android 9 is pretty secure and far more usable.
Android 10 is somewhat less usable, but runs well.
Android 11 is a bloody nightmare. Uses excessive resources and cpu cycles. Constant redundant access popups.
A creepy big sister of a hog. Android is in a high G flat spin, as their altitude sink rate approaches a blur all they do is firewall the throttle indents to the full afterburner position
The impending crash is inevitable☠☠☠
The irony being that Google is the biggest data miner and manipulator on the planet.
With Google you're not the customer... you are the product.

Related

[L5/L7][DISCUSION THREAD] Lollipop & KITKAT

General discusion about Lollipop&Marshmallow for L5 & L7
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Android 5.0 "Lollipop" is the latest version of the Android mobile operating system developed by Google. Unveiled on June 25, 2014 during Google I/O, it became available as official over-the-air (OTA) updates on November 12, 2014 for select devices that run distributions of Android serviced by Google, including Nexus and Google Play edition devices. Its source code was made available on November 3, 2014.
One of the most prominent changes in the Lollipop release is a redesigned user interface built around a responsive design language referred to as "material design". Other changes include improvements to the notifications, which can be accessed from the lockscreen and displayed within applications as top-of-the-screen banners. Google also made internal changes to the platform, with the Android Runtime (ART) officially replacing Dalvik for improved application performance, and with changes intended to improve and optimize battery usage, known internally as Project Volta.
QUESTIONS:
-What are you guys thinking about this new update for our phones?
-What are you thinking about new MATERIAL DESIGN?
-What about ART? (pros--cons)
-Guest user mode? Good?
-What about app compatibility?
-more soon
For now we know that
@ALEX.IMER work on CM12 for L7 (make all,but stuck on graphic module).
@Asce1062 work on CyanHacker L for L7 & L5
@aidasaidas75 Finished CM12 for L5 HERE
We have kernels which support both devices, that is good thing
For L7 there is IMER kernel which is in all his roms
For L5 there is SKernel by @skyinfo HERE
Also there is GAPPs thread by @Plamb1r and @Paget96 (me) HERE
Material design: fluid, purposeful motion
More tangible interaction
Content responds to your touch in an intuitive way.
More time playing, less time charging
Power for the long haul with a battery saver feature that extends your device by up to 90 minutes. And now it's easier to manage your power usage - see the estimated time left before you need to charge, and when you're charging, approximately how much time until it's topped up and ready to go.
More ways to secure your device
Share your device securely with guest user mode. Or create multiple user accounts to enable friends to log in on your device. In either case, no one will be able to access any of your stuff. And you can use Android Smart Lock to secure your phone or tablet by pairing it with a trusted device like your wearable or even your car.
Your device, your rules
For fewer worries and disruptions, adjust your settings so only certain people and notifications get through. When it's important, respond directly from your lockscreen.
Lollipop features​
Material Design
A bold, colorful, and responsive UI design for consistent, intuitive experiences across all your devices
Responsive, natural motion, realistic lighting and shadows, and familiar visual elements make it easier to navigate your device
Vivid new colors, typography, and edge-to-edge imagery help to focus your attention​
Notifications
New ways to control when and how you receive messages - only get interrupted when you want to be
View and respond to messages directly from your lock screen. Includes the ability to hide sensitive content for these notifications
For fewer disruptions, turn on Priority mode via your device’s volume button so only certain people and notifications get through. Or schedule recurring downtime like 10pm to 8am when only Priority notifications can get through
With Lollipop, incoming phone calls won’t interrupt what you’re watching or playing. You can choose to answer the call or just keep doing what you’re doing
Control the notifications triggered by your apps; hide sensitive content and prioritize or turn off the app’s notifications entirely
More intelligent ranking of notifications based on who they’re from and the type of communication. See all your notifications in one place by tapping the top of the screen​
Battery
Power for the long haul
A battery saver feature which extends device use by up to 90 mins
Estimated time left to fully charge is displayed when your device is plugged in
Estimated time left on your device before you need to charge again can now be found in battery settings​
Security
Keep your stuff safe and sound
New devices come with encryption automatically turned on to help protect data on lost or stolen devices
SELinux enforcing for all applications means even better protection against vulnerabilities and malware
Use Android Smart Lock to secure your phone or tablet by pairing it with a trusted device like your wearable or even your car​
Device Sharing
More flexible sharing with family and friends
Multiple users for phones. If you forget your phone, you still can call any of your friends (or access any of your messages, photos etc.) by simply logging into another Android phone running Lollipop. Also perfect for families who want to share a phone, but not their stuff
Guest user for phones and tablets means you can lend your device and not your info
Screen pinning: pin your screen so another user can access just that content without messing with your other stuff​
New Quick Settings
Get to the most frequently used settings with just two swipes down from the top of the screen
New handy controls like flashlight, hotspot, screen rotation and cast screen controls
Easier on/off toggles for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and location
Manually adjust your brightness for certain conditions. Then, adaptive brightness will kick in based on ambient lighting​
Connectivity
A better internet connection everywhere and more powerful Bluetooth low energy capabilities
Improved network handoffs resulting in limited interruption in connectivity. For example, continue your video chat or VoIP calls without interruption as you leave the house and switch from your home Wi-Fi back to cellular
Improved network selection logic so that your device connects only if there is a verified internet connection on Wi-Fi
Power-efficient scanning for nearby Bluetooth low energy (“BLE”) devices like wearables or beacons
New BLE peripheral mode​
Runtime and Performance
A faster, smoother and more powerful computing experience
ART, an entirely new Android runtime, improves application performance and responsiveness
Up to 4x performance improvements
Smoother UI for complex, visually rich applications
Compacting backgrounded apps and services so you can do more at once
Support for 64 bit devices, like the Nexus 9, brings desktop class CPUs to Android
Support for 64-bit SoCs using ARM, x86, and MIPS-based cores
Shipping 64-bit native apps like Chrome, Gmail, Calendar, Google Play Music, and more
Pure Java language apps run​
source: Android lollipop 5.0
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
-Next Lollipop updates-​
Update 5.0.1
As of now, there is no word on what precise changes the Android 5.0.1 update brings; though we can expect the release to bring fixes to various bugs and issues reported by Android 5.0 Lollipop users in the recent few weeks. With the release of Android 5.0.1 factory images for Nexus devices, we can expect that Google will soon announce the incremental update.
Update 5.0.2
Android 5.0 is has been publicly available since early November, and the number of devices getting Google’s latest OS is growing bigger every day. In the first few weeks after its release, Google focused on stability and released quite a few update builds. Now, it’s the time for a small numerical bump, because Android 5.0.2 has just been pushed into Google’s AOSP repos.
Android 5.0.1 was rather minor update, with only a few notable changes. Android 5.0.2 is definitely bigger, but it’s still not huge. Google managed to address some issues with MountService which should now start before performBootDexOpt. This fixes a previously reported bug in the issue tracker. Some other changes related to NAND have also been pushed. Fstrim, introduced in Android 4.3, caused some serious issues on Lollipop. According to this log provided by XDA Recognized Developer cybojenix, devices turned off for the night had problems with fstrim being launched at all. Google addressed the issue and devices with slow NAND should now have a noticeable performance boost.
Nexus 7 (Wi-Fi) and Nexus 7 (Mobile Data) device trees have been updated. As a result, new factory images for the Nexus 7 (2012) and updated binary files are have been pushed. As usual you can get them from the Android Developer Page. An updated device tree for tilapia is a good sign, as it’s one of two devices that haven’t received an official update already. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, signaling that Google will finally bring official Lollipop to the missing devices sooner rather than later.
If you want to build Android 5.0.2 yourself, you can update your current sources by executing the following command:
repo init -b android-5.0.2_r1 && repo sync
Update 5.0.3
A memory leak occurs when Android allocates a chunk of system memory for a task and then doesn’t release it again. This means that over time more and more memory will be allocated and none ever given back. Even with 2 or 3GB of RAM, eventually the system will run out of memory, and that is never pretty.
The thread on the issue tracker is hard to follow as there are lots of complaints and there is lots of general unhappiness, but little in the way of official comments from Google or Android developers. However it does now seem that Google has agreed that this is a bug, and that it has been fixed in the source code. What that means is that the latest source code used to build Android doesn’t leak memory. However that doesn’t actually help affected users at the moment. The next step is for Google to make a new release of Android, probably Android 5.0.3 Lollipop, with this and other bug fixes. However there is no news on when that will be. Let’s hope it will be soon.
Update 5.1
Google released Android 5.0 just over a month ago, and since then Lollipop has been trying to establish its position in the global smartphone market. Despite its many new features and overall greatness, Android 5.0 has many issues that still need to be addressed. According to our colleagues at AndroidPIT and their two internal sources, Google is working on Android 5.1, which should really come as no surprise because software progress is inevitable. We already know that Google is always looking ahead, but the interesting part is that if rumors are to be believed, we’ll see 5.1 as soon as the end of February.
This information, although plausible, could strike one as a bit odd. After all, usually Google releases one or two versions of its OS per year. But with the potential release of 5.1 right around the corner, it’s unclear as to why Google would want to roll out a new update so soon.
If AndroidPIT’s sources are to be believed, the update will allegedly bring following improvements:
-Silent mode added after missing on Android 5.0
-General improvements in system stability
-Improved RAM management
-Fixes for sudden app closures
-Improved battery management
-Excessive consumption of network devices when used Wi-Fi fixed
-Issues with wireless connections fixed
-Problems with Okay Google function solved
-Notifications problems solved
-Some sound problems experience by certain devices fixed
-Other improvements and changes
The to-do list is rather long, and Google will definitely address some of these problems. AndroidPIT claims that they got this news from sources close to Google and Android 5.1 will soon become a reality. We can only wait to see whether these revelations are real or not.
Android 6.0: let’s invent the ultimate Android OS
http://www.androidpit.com/android-6-release-date-news-rumors
Android M (6.0) --- that is for future xd
Source:
AndroidPIT
Official android site:
Android Lollipop 5.0 (official site)
Thats all information which we have for now, I will updating this thread frequently
General discusion about KITKAT for L5 & L7
The Android 4.4 KitKat operating system uses advanced memory optimization technologies. As a result, it is available on Android devices with as little as 512 MB of RAM. This is important because previous versions of the operating system required more internal memory which made them incompatible with many older device models. This was a major cause of the problem known as Android fragmentation.
Android 4.4 KitKat features a cleaner user interface, Near Field Communication (NFC) support and always-on touch screen action buttons, which replace the need for the physical buttons found on many Android devices. KitKat also boasts an improved security-enhanced Linux module, which helps prevent unauthorized app access.
Google announced Android 4.4 KitKat in September 2013 and debuted it on the Nexus 5 smartphone the following month. For months prior to the release, observers expected the OS to be called Key Lime Pie, but Google renamed it as part of a marketing promotion with the Hershey Company, which sells a candy bar called Kit Kat in the United States.
Smart, simple, and truly yours
Beautiful & Immersive
A more polished design, improved performance, and new features.​
Just say “Ok Google”
You don’t need to touch the screen to get things done. When on your home screen* or in Google Now, just say “Ok Google” to launch voice search, send a text, get directions or even play a song.
A work of art​While listening to music on your device, or while projecting movies to Chromecast, you’ll see beautiful full-screen album and movie art when your device is locked. You can play, pause, or seek to a specific moment.
Immerse yourself
The book you're reading, the game you're playing, or the movie you're watching — now all of these take center stage with the new immersive mode, which automatically hides everything except what you really want to see. Just swipe the edge of the screen to bring back your status bar and navigation buttons.
Faster multitasking​Android 4.4 takes system performance to an all-time high by optimizing memory and improving your touchscreen so that it responds faster and more accurately than ever before. This means that you can listen to music while browsing the web, or race down the highway with the latest hit game, all without a hitch.
Smart & Simple
Google smarts improve every corner of the Android experience.
The future is calling
The new phone app automatically prioritizes your contacts based on the people you talk to the most. You can also search for nearby places and businesses, your contacts, or people in your Google Apps domain.
A smarter caller ID​Whenever you get a call from a phone number not in your contacts, your phone will look for matches from businesses with a local listing on Google Maps. Learn more about caller ID by Google.
All your messages in the same place
Never miss a message, no matter how your friend sends it. With the new Hangouts app, all of your SMS and MMS messages are together in the same app, alongside your other conversations and video calls. And with the new Hangouts, you can even share your location and send animated GIFs.
Emoji everywhere​Sometimes words can’t express how you feel. For that, there’s Emoji, the colorful Japanese characters, now available on Google Keyboard.
Grab & Go
New features help you get things done while you’re on the move.
Print wherever, whenever
Now you can print photos, documents, and web pages from your phone or tablet. You can print to any printer connected to Google Cloud Print, to HP ePrint printers, and to other printers that have apps in the Google Play Store.
Pick a file, any file​From apps like Quickoffice, you can open and save files on Google Drive, other cloud storage services, or your device. And with quick access to recently used files, it's easier than ever to send the file you were just working on.
Your office, anywhere
Create and edit documents, spreadsheets and presentations from your phone or tablet with the newly redesigned Quickoffice
Even more features
For those of you looking to go deeper, here's an exhaustive list of all the updates found in Android 4.4, KitKat.
Bluetooth MAP support
Android now supports the Message Access Profile (MAP) so Bluetooth-enabled cars can exchange messages with your devices.
Chromecast support
With your Android device and a Chromecast, you can enjoy your favorite online entertainment, from Netflix, YouTube, Hulu Plus, and Google Play on your HDTV.
Chrome web view
Applications that embed web content now use Chrome to render web components accurately and quickly.
Closed captioning
Android now supports closed captioning and subtitles. To turn on closed captioning, go to Settings > Accessibility and turn on Captions.
Device management built-in
If you ever lose your device, you can find or wipe it with the Android
Device Manager
Downloads app redesign
The Downloads app has been redesigned, giving you new sorting options and list and grid views for all the files you’ve downloaded.
Easy home screen switching
If you love to customize your device and have installed one or more home screen replacements, you can switch between them easily in Settings > Home.
Email app refresh
The redesigned Email app has a fresh new look with nested folders, contact photos and better navigation.
Full-screen wallpapers with preview
Your wallpaper now extends through the notification tray and system buttons. And when you change your wallpaper, you can preview just how it will look before you set it.*
HDR+ photography
HDR+ mode on Nexus 5 automatically snaps a rapid burst of photos and combines them to give you the best possible single shot. Daytime pictures are vivid with clean shadows, and nighttime photos are sharp with less noise.*
Infrared blasting
On devices with an infrared (IR) blaster, Android now supports applications for remote control of TVs and other nearby devices.
Location in Quick Settings
Access your location settings from anywhere with a new tile in Quick Settings.
Location modes and monitoring
If you want to conserve battery, go to Settings > Location to switch between high accuracy and battery-saving location modes. There’s no need to toggle GPS, Wi-Fi, and mobile network settings. And to see which apps have recently requested your location, go to Settings > Location.
Low-power audio playback
Android 4.4 on Nexus 5 lets you listen to music for longer - up to 60 hours of audio playback.*
Music and movie-seeking from lock screen
Jump to a specific part of a song or video from your lock screen. Just long press on the play or pause button and then select the point you want.
Secure app sandboxes
Application sandboxes have been hardened with Security-Enhanced Linux.
Step counting built-in
When you use fitness apps like Moves on Nexus 5, the phone acts as a pedometer to count steps. Android 4.4 and updated hardware make this a more battery-friendly way to measure your activity.
Tap to pay, built a new way
Android 4.4 introduces a new, open architecture for NFC payments that works with any mobile carrier, and lets apps manage your payment information in the cloud or on your device. Now you can tap to pay with Google Wallet or other apps at more than a million stores.
Touchscreen improvements
Improved software and Nexus 5’s new hardware mean Android responds to your touch faster and more accurately than ever before.*
Version history(Codenames, Tags, and Build Numbers)
For me, i'm a fan of playing game so i hope the graphic in new version will better than present kitkat rom
I think Material design is beautiful, it look simple and colorful
ART, i hope it will stable and support more app and no bugs
My phone is mine so guest user mode is not important for me
That is my thinkings about new version Lollipop is going for our poor device
Sorry for my bad english
SMILEVN said:
For me, i'm a fan of playing game so i hope the graphic in new version will better than present kitkat rom
I think Material design is beautiful, it look simple and colorful
ART, i hope it will stable and support more app and no bugs
My phone is mine so guest user mode is not important for me
That is my thinkings about new version Lollipop is going for our poor device
Sorry for my bad english
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thinks so. But all of you need to know IMER's CM12. Don't have ART. He said that "only dalvik" idk now :/
I think IMER only make rom for l7
What about l5??? The last i have used cyanhacker is very laggy
Sent from my LG-e612 using XDA Free mobile app
What about the record with the microphone?
SMILEVN said:
I think IMER only make rom for l7
What about l5??? The last i have used cyanhacker is very laggy
Sent from my LG-e612 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use cyan hacker for l7 . Work good. Try the latest SKernel . There is final version for L5.
EDIT: Yes, IMER work only for L7.. And that is not problem to port to L5. / don't worry.
Frankrmd said:
What about the record with the microphone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know :/ but we always can hope.
Paget96 said:
I use cyan hacker for l7 . Work good. Try the latest SKernel . There is final version for L5.
EDIT: Yes, IMER work only for L7.. And that is not problem to port to L5. / don't worry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree that cyanhacker is smooth but the graphic is very bad
Now i am using avatar rom from Mr.Plamb1r to play game
I think CrystalPA rom is a good Kitkat rom but Mr.Cr3pt didn't support it
SMILEVN said:
I agree that cyanhacker is smooth but the graphic is very bad
Now i am using avatar rom from Mr.Plamb1r to play game
I think CrystalPA rom is a good Kitkat rom but Mr.Cr3pt didn't support it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My first rom on this device is CrystalPa 5.0.. Then I used. CM11, LS. And now CyanHacker.
Now I waiting for. CM12 by mr @ALEX.IMER
but i am using l5 so i wait the new version cyanhacker from Mr.Asce
Sent from my LG-e612 using XDA Free mobile app
SMILEVN said:
but i am using l5 so i wait the new version cyanhacker from Mr.Asce
Sent from my LG-e612 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I read somewhere, don't know where, he already make for L7 p705 and will test it today or tomorrow. . I know only that.
Good news for L5 users!! @aidasaidas75 is building CM12 for L5!!
Lollipop is coming.
Inviato dal mio ME173X utilizzando Tapatalk
skyinfo said:
Good news for L5 users!! @aidasaidas75 is building CM12 for L5!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is very very good news . Good luck with that rom guys. . We must wait,some time (L7) users
Information updated, check first post
Anyone can tell me, what is LS?
Sent from my LG-E610 using XDA Free mobile app
fbli_41 said:
Anyone can tell me, what is LS?
Sent from my LG-E610 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LiquidSmooth
Inviato dal mio ME173X utilizzando Tapatalk
From my experience w/ L from my aging galaxy tab 10.1 is great. Its smoother than KK.
AFAIK, @Asce1062 will make cyanhacker L. That's what he said on his thread and this will be due this DEC 20. We just hope so and wait.
For me, LS and cyanhacker will be great for L. Since this two ROMs were the smoothest of all KK I've ever flashed. Except for the last version of LS which is buggy.
So for now let's just wait and see.
vaikz said:
From my experience w/ L from my aging galaxy tab 10.1 is great. Its smoother than KK.
AFAIK, @Asce1062 will make cyanhacker L. That's what he said on his thread and this will be due this DEC 20. We just hope so and wait.
For me, LS and cyanhacker will be great for L. Since this two ROMs were the smoothest of all KK I've ever flashed. Except for the last version of LS which is buggy.
So for now let's just wait and see.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, thanks for reply. I read somewhere that @Asce1062 working on LS. he work on both or. Only cyanhacker L
So guys thank you for being patient, tomorrow is my last exam ...I'll sync on Friday and start working on Saturday, 20th as promised.
Paget96 said:
Ok, thanks for reply. I read somewhere that @Asce1062 working on LS. he work on both or. Only cyanhacker L
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I have been syncing LS trees since they had Lollipop ? before Cyanhaker. But now that will change . I will be building Cyanhaker (Which is now based off of CM 12)... The developers promised to implement the speed tweaks from LS and even improve on them. Then maybe later on I will build LS.
Sent from my LG-P705 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Configure privacy settings equivalent to IOS?

Assuming I was an expert user who knew every single Note 9 device option, samsung account setting, and google account setting.... If I were to configure EVERY single one of them to limit the data it collects, set every app permission to be in its most restricted state, disable every usage access setting, and configured my google and samsung accounts to be the most limited data collection accounts as possible, .... it is even possible to get to IOS level privacy on my Note 9? Is Android just sending everything it can back to google's servers as possible, such as when i turn the phone on, when i walk, move, open an app, browse the web, or whatever? I know some have already setup network analyzers to see the traffic going out, but I can never tell what configuration they do that with. I want to know if getting the privacy to IOS levels is impossible, or is it just a matter of very careful configuration....?
It's impossible. I'm not a fan of Apple devices, but I applaud them from a business perspective and that trickles down from the fundamental ideals of Steve Jobs.
Numerous studies show that Google sucks up information 10x as much as Apple which relies in differential data that doesn't exactly pinpoint the person, but more so the general interests of the person. Google identifies the person and their location. Unless you're walking around with your phone off or granting no permissions to every app, you can't match the security of an Apple device. The doesn't only include Google. Remember we have to deal with our specific manufacturers that are collecting data on us as well since Android is open source. So we just have to hope Googles intentions are good or move to an Apple device.
brainysmurf said:
Assuming I was an expert user who knew every single Note 9 device option, samsung account setting, and google account setting.... If I were to configure EVERY single one of them to limit the data it collects, set every app permission to be in its most restricted state, disable every usage access setting, and configured my google and samsung accounts to be the most limited data collection accounts as possible, .... it is even possible to get to IOS level privacy on my Note 9? Is Android just sending everything it can back to google's servers as possible, such as when i turn the phone on, when i walk, move, open an app, browse the web, or whatever? I know some have already setup network analyzers to see the traffic going out, but I can never tell what configuration they do that with. I want to know if getting the privacy to IOS levels is impossible, or is it just a matter of very careful configuration....?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No fanboi of any company/mfg/OS,but,they all do virtually the same thing with your personal information/usage habits.
The differences are mere semantics & they collect/sell user information.
The following is a 2yr old article,but,I'm guessing the points they make still hold true:
https://decentralize.today/apple-vs...company-handles-your-data-better-a7022bd452b1
Arguably,Android users can control their sharing of personal data usage,but,that has its caveats,such as limited functionality on some apps/etc...
Best advice I can give is the following:
1) Carefully comb through every setting on the phone,most are self-explanatory.
2) Go to every apps internal settings & the phone's setting under SETTINGS > APPLICATIONS & fine tune as best as possible.
Even after all of that,Google/Samsung (or most other mfgs) have settings that are inaccessible or cannot change (greyed-out),so,you're still not in the clear as far as total control/privacy.
This is one of the major attractions to rooting/ROMs for your Android device.
A rooted &/or ROM'd Samsung device is the ideal for gaining control of privacy/permission control,but,it breaks KNOX & Samsung Pay,no going back once rooted,even if restored to a stock state.
You gain more granular control of such permissions & if you want to go all-in on privacy, a ROM such as Lineage gives you the best you can hope for in personal security/privacy. A brief summary,but,that's the gist.
Outside of root/ROMs,If privacy/security is of utmost importance,I'd dare say a Blackberry would be a decent choice. I myself only briefly owned a Blackberry (Android device),so,I can't attest to how private/secure you personal usage/data is,but,I've rarely,if ever,heard of any major concerns in the matter w/Blackberry.
@brainysmurf
Another step you can take to regain some control of your Samsung device is using a package disabler app & the nice thing about these is no root access is required (AppFreeze/Package Disabler Pro/Adhell3).
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wakasoftware.appfreezer&hl=en_US
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.powermanager.batteryaddon&hl=en
https://amp.reddit.com/r/GalaxyS8/comments/8nmrfq/how_to_install_adhell_3_a_video_guide/
Use the XDA site search feature or Google for more info on the above mentioned disabler apps.
You can also use ADB Commands to disable apps as well,but,please read the following link carefully before proceeding:
https://www.xda-developers.com/uninstall-carrier-oem-bloatware-without-root-access/
I have never had an apple device, But I would like to say that android as a system is opensource and the google apps that are put on top are non opensource and are probably where you lose your privacy but as a system it is transparent which attracts devs and rooting (i.e. getting access to the system partitions) is what makes android so customizable. Versus apple which you have to blind trust ios and trust that these options are 100% do what they say..
Yes it is more secure because it is closed source but at the same time For actual privacy you never know. Saying that how do you get your privacy with android needs some setup which koliosis did good explaining. But the difference between the two OSs I believe is because of (opensource)ness of android the amout of customizablity with android is really deep. To which I believe if you invest good time researching, you can get a way better state than iOS. Again not an expert but putting my opinion
For the rest
Koliosis said it all.
that_same_guy said:
Yes it is more secure because it is closed source.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have to correct that one. That is a myth spread by some big companies in order try to gain some customers over from the cheaper/free competition. In reality, open vs. closed source has no other effect on how secure the result is than with open source there can be more eyes looking at the code (for both good and bad intentions). As an example, simply compare a decent linux distro (from which only similar applications are installed that would come with corresponding Windows installation) to M$ Windows. Open source (and free at that) wins many times over in overall security (while neither is free from issues).
The biggest effect on the code quality (thus often also how secure it is) is on how many (real) experts work on it, and this in turn depends on popularity (open source) and/or money (company's/organization's income and policies/ideals). For the last part 'policies/ideals' just compare M$ and Apple, both have the money to throw at development if they choose to do so; former makes mostly insecure crap, latter makes half-decent stuff. (And note, I'm not a fanboy of either, or pretty much of any company, except one little local camera shop, so do read the previous with some weight on that "half-" before the "decent".)
As for small input on the privacy squeezing on Samsung devices:
I have so far managed to avoid to use a samsung-account, and that might help a tiny bit, although some features of the phone are then not working, but mostly useless features. Though there are some seemingly useful features that require Samsung-account for some weird reason, but I've manage to live without them. Like the "protected folder" (or whatever it is in English), why on earth would that need an account or anything external for that matter?!?
(Well, technically, I do have a Samsung-account, as that was required to get the phone cheaper, but after that order, I've not used that account anywhere.)
ErebusRaze said:
It's impossible. I'm not a fan of Apple devices, but I applaud them from a business perspective and that trickles down from the fundamental ideals of Steve Jobs.
Numerous studies show that Google sucks up information 10x as much as Apple which relies in differential data that doesn't exactly pinpoint the person, but more so the general interests of the person. Google identifies the person and their location. Unless you're walking around with your phone off or granting no permissions to every app, you can't match the security of an Apple device. The doesn't only include Google. Remember we have to deal with our specific manufacturers that are collecting data on us as well since Android is open source. So we just have to hope Googles intentions are good or move to an Apple device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This actually goes to my point... If indeed I did remove all permissions from all apps, does this mean Android tracking would be completely disabled? Or if I removed google play services, or disabled it, or removed all permissions from it? Technically, would that give it an IOS level of privacy? I'm just wondering if the OS itself is prone to just phoning home and letting it know everything I'm doing, or if it's possible at all to tame it....
Thanks for your repsonse.
ErebusRaze said:
It's impossible. I'm not a fan of Apple devices, but I applaud them from a business perspective and that trickles down from the fundamental ideals of Steve Jobs.
Numerous studies show that Google sucks up information 10x as much as Apple which relies in differential data that doesn't exactly pinpoint the person, but more so the general interests of the person. Google identifies the person and their location. Unless you're walking around with your phone off or granting no permissions to every app, you can't match the security of an Apple device. The doesn't only include Google. Remember we have to deal with our specific manufacturers that are collecting data on us as well since Android is open source. So we just have to hope Googles intentions are good or move to an Apple device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I saw those same studies. And they never seem to provide specific configuration data. For instance, the study showing that android gathers as much as 10x more data specifically mentioned that Chrome was constantly phoning home sending data. However, what if the user didn't log into their chrome account? I think it's much more limited in that case... Or what if the user disabled chrome, and perhaps all google apps? Is it android doing the privacy damage, or google apps/play services? If I disabled those, or removed all permissions from those, would it be equivalent to IOS? I'm an engineer in the business working at a major silicon valley company, and even with high expertise in the design of these things I'm finding it impossible to get basic understanding of what it actually going on. It is either trying to read through legalize of privacy agreements, or reading blogs and studies with claims such as 10x more data, while not providing specifics...

[ROM][TWRP]MIUI 11 China Beta[25.09.2019]

Hi folks, I'm new MIUI8 SE user.
I've been using android for 6 years and I'm here - XDA - for 6 years
Since I got my first android phone which was Motorola XT910, I came here xda devs forum and search what can I do. I realized to install roms on android, custom roms. And after a few months I saw MIUI 4 is available for my Motorola XT910. I installed it and it looks great. I can costumize wahtever I want with MIUI4, and later it upgraded MIUI5 bla bla..
After a few years later I bought Xiaomi phone to use stock rom as MIUI. I bought Mi5 and later Mi6. Now I'm with Mi8SE (will continue )
So, I've been almost use all MIUı since 4th generation.
Now I just saw MIUI 11 China Beta released for our and mosth xiaomi phone. I wanted you to see, install this great rom to your phone too.
Here download link page.
How to install?
Just go to TWRP and wipe cache/data,
Format Factory Rest,
Install ROM,
And That's It...
Keep in mind that this is Chinese build and thus do not come with Google Play Services or any Google apps pre-installed, though they are easy to sideload. The features may also be slightly different from what you expect from global builds as well, given that they’re focused towards the Chinese market. Lastly, the language options are likely limited to English and Chinese.
We hope EU rom will be available this week. And global beta will come soon.
Changelog List
Attention – Empowering the productive
Comprehensive design optimized for fullscreen display devices
Removing visual clutter, improving touch controls, and refining the use of color allowed us to create the system where nothing stands between you and the content.
Beauty starts with text. Our fonts matured.
Now text looks gorgeous in all languages.
Now, font weight can be adjusted automatically depending on the text.
Ambient display
Ambient display now comes with gorgeous dynamic themes.
Essential information is displayed on your screen 24/7.
Personalize your device with a unique signature.
Keep your screen alive with our amazing special effects.
Sounds of nature
Wake up to the gentle sounds of nature with our new alarm ringtones.
Notification sounds won’t make you tired. Now, they keep changing dynamically, just like nature does.
Mi Share
Transfer files from phone to phone at breakneck speeds.
Mi Share works both on phones and computers.
Documents
Preview your documents before you open them.
Stay productive and efficient with our all-new Mi Doc Viewer.
Casting
MIUI allows you to cast videos, games, documents, and apps to more than 300 TV models directly from your phone.
MIUI’s casting functionality allows you to hide personal items to keep all sensitive things private.
Printing
Print photos and files directly from your phone without installing any additional apps
Trips
Plan your trips with MIUI: add your flight or train tickets, learn about the weather at your destination, get local mobile data, view the currency exchange rates, or contact your consulate abroad.
Ultra battery saver
Use this feature to challenge your device to a whole day on just 5% of the battery.
More features
Tasks. Manage and edit your tasks in the Notes app. Receive timely notifications and mark things done.
Kid space. Create a safe digital environment for your kids.
Family guard. Control connected devices to help your friends and family.
Screen time. View stats and manage your time more efficiently.
Emergency SOS. Rapidly press the Power button 5 times to send an SOS message to your emergency contacts.
Earthquake warnings. Stay safe and informed in case of an earthquake.
Quick replies. Reply to messages from any app.
Themes. Lots of free resources to make your device truly unique.
Mi Community. Get the latest news from Xiaomi, test new features, and participate in our events.
Autofill passwords. Store passwords on your device and use them whenever you need them.
Calendar. All your events in one place.
Mi AI 3.0. All-new. Much more powerful.
Security. Safeguard and optimize your device.
Game Turbo. Turn your device into an ultimate gaming console.
Screenshoots
Reserved for future important things...
Do you think the open beta will be released this week?
Is there any screenshot?
"http://bigota.d.miui.com/9.9.24/miui_MI6_9.9.24_1311e25b28_9.0.zip
redirecting to your own site is ridiculous.

‘Android Auto for Phone Screens’ improves support for Google Maps in landscape

Android Auto for Phone Screens was supposed to be a simple stop-gap leading up to the launch of Google Assistant’s Driving Mode, but with that feature still nowhere to be found, Google is making some improvements. This week, Android Auto for Phone Screens is being updated with improved Google Maps support.
As first spotted by the fine folks over at Android Police, Google has made some tweaks to how Google Maps appears on Android Auto for Phone Screens. The smaller of these changes comes from the information bars. Previously, Maps had these locked to the top of the display, but now they “float” over your active navigation. There’s also a speed limit icon now!
The bigger changes, though, come in the landscape view. As seen in the comparison below, Maps in landscape mode now shows more of the map itself, even if you’re viewing various settings for navigation.
Not too long after launching in cars, Google granted users the ability to run a version of the Android Auto UI on their phone display directly. With the arrival of Android Auto’s revamped UI, though, the company also announced it would kill off the phone screen version… only to backtrack on that a few weeks later with “Android Auto for Phone Screens.”
That’s important backstory to keep in mind for one simple fact — Google is now clearly giving attention and development resources to this “stop-gap” measure. Might that mean this product will stick around longer than we thought? It’s certainly the strongest evidence in favor of that.

Question One Plus 10 Pro - ColorOS debloated is not that bad

After receiving my Chinese version of the OP10 Pro, I waited for over a month for the international ROM expecting a seamless flashing experience through "Local install" like in past phones. Unfortunately OP10 Pro seems to have settled in this regard and this is no longer possible, so I decided to make the most out of ColorOS... and was pleasantly surprised.
I've used ADB App Control to debload Breeno, HeyTap and some of the Oppo stuff and the result is pretty good. So far I've disabled:
Breeno
Breeno Scan
Breeno Touch
Calendar
HeySynergy
HeyTap Cloud
Omoji
OPSynergy
Please note that I have not tried OxygenOS for this phone so I'm not sure if some of these features are also available:
Pros so far
The battery is incredible - I'm getting up to 2 days if using the phone with IM/browsing, a full day if I throw in a couple hours of PUBG and some other heavy usage apps.
Call recording works by default
System Cloner - surprisingly useful feature, not only can clone apps but now can also clone the entire system. You can switch from the lockscreen with a different fingerprint or password, and you can even "hide" the secondary system by removing the system cloning options from the main system menu, in which case it becomes only accessible by inputting the alternative password or fingerprint in the lock screen. Super useful to separate life and work, increase privacy in a high censorship country where stuff like VPN apps are forbidden, may be subject to "phone searches", etc.
Privacy Protection - many apps require personal info access to work, and there's no way around it. With this feature you can select which apps with the personal info access permission will get blank data, providing a workaround to being able to use the app while protecting privacy (assuming everything works as advertised)
There's a few other interesting Privacy tools like a Permission use records and the possibility to hide or lock apps
Cons so far
ColorOS comes a bit bloated with Breeno, HeyTap, Omoji and other features that even after disabled remain in the main menus (I've only disabled the main apps so it's possible I'm forgetting related apps)
The internal password manager is local and I can't use my Google saved passwords to auto-fill my apps within android
When transferring phone data from OP8 Pro to OP10 Pro the SMS transferred with switched SIM cards, strangely.
I'd like to hear from ColorOs users about which other features you found useful and some debloating feedback about what else is worth removing!
I hated coloros on my 9RT. Battery life was great as well, but that's because everything except 5 apps are launched at startup and you don't get background updates ultra you open the app every few hours. Phone manager sucks, but I made due with it. You can't change your default msg app.

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