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Unremovable Spyware on Samsung Devices Comes Pre-installed on Galaxy Series Devices

⁨883⁩ ⁨likes⁩

Submitted ⁨⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨Domino@quokk.au⁩ to ⁨technology@lemmy.world⁩

https://cybersecuritynews.com/spyware-on-samsung-devices/amp/

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  • Arghblarg@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I took the jump and installed GrapheneOS on my Pixel 9 this weekend. Easiest alternate OS load I’ve ever done, didn’t even need to see a command line. (I’ve put LineageOS on many a phone and GrapheneOS’s web-based installer is amazing).

    Loving it so far. I have three profiles, the main ‘Owner’ with NO google services/app store at all; and two more ‘Personal’ and ‘Work’ profiles that have Google stuff.

    Amazingly GrapheneOS even lets you deny Google App Store itself permissions to install from untrusted sources (in this case, Google App Store itself) – I was suprised to see installing just App Store triggered attempts to then load: My Pixel, Google Photos, Fitbit(!!? WTF), and a few others, without any confirmation first. Was able to shut that shit down immediately.

    I hope GrapheneOS spreads to other phone models. And I’m sure Google has a team planning on how to strangle it before it does…

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    • amateurcrastinator@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      How does it deal with banking apps? What about camera apps? How is the camera workings with other camera apps?

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      • modular950@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I am US-based. I have a handful of credit card apps, and a few banking / investment apps - all of them in my experience have worked fine. ONE of them required me to toggle a GrapheneOS option that enables you to exempt certain apps from some of Graphenes more hardened safety measures.

        “Exploit Protection Compatibility Mode” is the toggle which can be flipped per-app, and is very easy to access so you can quickly troubleshoot whether that’s related to any app troubles or not.

        Similar to the other comment, I also use Pixel Camera by downloading the Google pixel cam APK and installing. I’ve removed all permissions from the camera (and photos) app besides to the camera lense itself, and file permissions of course. You can even use Pixel Cam’s hefty features like unblur, erase me, etc. - though certain ones require you to temporarily give network access to the camera app so that it can reach out and download necessary packages. Once done, you can remove network permissions and the downloaded function will remain functional.

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      • Zetta@mander.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        All my bank apps work, I have the stock pixel camera app and it works perfectly

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      • JaddedFauceet@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Banking app privsec.dev/…/banking-applications-compatibility-…

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      • timhayes1991@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I haven’t had problems with Canadian banking apps, and I use 3 of them. Sadly, my favourite budgeting app doesn’t work with Graphene OS. I use it every day (and have paid for lifetime premium access), so it was unfortunately a pretty big issue. But I love what they do. A cause worth donating to.

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      • Arghblarg@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I haven’t yet tried – planning to do that in the next day or so when I get the time.

        Others already replied with promising results, I sure hope they work for me as well (Scotiabank in Canada is particularly annoying in this respect in my experience, with LineageOS I had to use Magisk and define stealth rules specifically for their banking app).

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      • kepix@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        80% of them works. rest has real devs.

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    • kbobabob@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Samsung has been accused of shipping budget Galaxy A and M series smartphones with pre-installed spyware that users can’t easily remove.

      The software in question, AppCloud, developed by the mobile analytics firm IronSource, has been embedded in devices sold primarily in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

      So these are cheap phones mostly being sold in the Middle East.

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      • sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        This is so gross.

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    • Akasazh@feddit.nl ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      If it works in non-google hardware I’ll switch, I’m not giving alphabet my money willingly

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    • kalpol@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      How about intune?

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      • Arghblarg@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Forgive me but what is intune? I did a quick search and just found some Microsoft endpoint protection thingie – there is mention of a Managed Google Play but I have no idea what that would mean.

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  • 11111one11111@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    There is a reason quartebacks don’t return kicks and linebackers dont play wide receiver. They followed their natural genetic build and skillset to become the best at what they are built to do.

    Samsung has been a fuckin train wreck with every single piece of fuckin software they touch. They used to make amazing hardware products and I was their #1 fan 20 years ago. Then they started embedding software in every cunthole they can shove their tiny dicks into and first I stopped buying their TV because the volume button on the remotes hat an embedded feature that when pressed down/in instead of up or down (like the sticks on video game contorll3rs) it backed you out of fuckin everything and launched the fuckin atrocious built in samsung broadcasted tv. Not cable, not anything you plug in or choose. No it takes you to a tv broadcasts only shows that noone will pay to watch. Then it was laptops then its now about to be my fuckin ZFold-5 that AGAIN is the best piece of mobile hardware ive ever owned. Indestructible, blazing fast typing speed with full qwerty keyboards like the good Ole cellphone days, beautiful display, beautiful cameras. It really is my favorite thing ive ever had ruined. They just facefuck shitty software onto of shitty software into everything they can. I MEAN PERFECT EXAMPLE AND TIME TO STOP WAS WHEN EVERYONE SAID FUCK YOU TO THEM MAKING FUCKBOOK A BUILT IN APP. Fuck samsung right in their fucking fuck hole

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    • 01189998819991197253@infosec.pub ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      This was a super fun, and colorful read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Hahahaha

      Not to mention that I agree with everything said.

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      • Ibuthyr@lemmy.wtf ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I like how he rages himself into a stroke in the first sentence of the last paragraph.

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    • pastermil@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Wow, I can really feel the emotion, all that rage.

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    • purplemonkeymad@programming.dev ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I once saw someone get an ad for the new phone as a notification on their current one. They had never had a notification from Samsung like that before. At that point I knew they would build in advertising for all their other products in to the products.

      I have never bought a Samsung device since. Some people I know live them, but it put me off so much.

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    • Buddahriffic@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I had an A5 a while back and samsung didn’t make me hate them so the next phone I got was an s10. On that phone, they decided that they needed to dedicate a physical button to their fucking virtual assistant bixby. It was pretty obvious to me that these virtual assistants were mostly actually data vacuums, wanting to integrate into every aspect of your life so they can access better data on all those aspects.

      Every single time it opened that fucking thing, it was unintentional. It wasn’t as annoying as your TV, since I bet the phone was way faster and had enough memory to not have to discard whatever else you were doing just to open its app, but it exemplifies how I see samsung today. Hardware had great specs but the software made it annoying by trying to lock everything in to their ecosystem without a hard lock like apple. Even MS had ways of disabling the windows button (which used to have a high chance of crashing a game if you accidentally hit it).

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    • jjlinux@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Yeah, I’m angry at them too.

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    • GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I’m a pretty big fan of using fuck, but holy fuck, that was a lot. I wonder why you feel that passionately about it?

      I deleted my Samsung account when an update about 6 months ago came along that basically wanted ALL your personal data so you could use AI for photo search, etc. Then I found out about all the other minor things they insist you have an account to use. So, yeah, Fuck Samsung! Now I need to find a phone I can live with to replace it when it stops working.

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    • bitjunkie@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Your post kind of reminds me of this. (YT link fwiw)

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    • SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      👏👏👏👏👏

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    • pycorax@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I agree with what you said outside of their flagship smartphones. My Fold3 was fantastic all the up till the point I traded it in for a Fold6 so if you don’t mind, could you explain what they did to your Fold5 because I don’t see any example mentioned of how they managed to ruin it over time?

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    • Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Now tell us how you really feel… actually, maybe don’t. :)

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      • 11111one11111@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        This, normally, is where I Sssssssssssssssssssssssssssstaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrttttttttttt inhaling deeply, while glaring maniacally down my nose at my audience of toddler aged nieces and nephews all taking cover from th3 eruption they knows coming🤓🤯🤠🫤😨🥹😱

        But naaaaaaaa this is the waaay more laid mat me who only twitches their eyelids while grinding my teeth when someone tells me to simmer down🤣

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    • KeenFlame@feddit.nu ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Samsung Fold this 👊🏼

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  • A_A@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I wouldn’t be surprised if Israel, again, is pushing for this :

    The software in question, AppCloud, developed by the mobile analytics firm IronSource, has been embedded in devices sold primarily in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

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    • dukemirage@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Again?

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      • A_A@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Amongst other things, Israel, if you recall, made some cell phones to explode, so too kill people they don’t like. Or maybe there was something called “Pegasus” that went something like that also ? I would have to do some search to be sure.

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    • paraphrand@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Huh, Unity owns IronSource.

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    • technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Of course. It’s a zionist company.

      Great quote. It’s laughable how this bullshit article dances around this.

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  • SabinStargem@lemmy.today ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I hope that we someday have a Linux-based Steam Whistle from Valve, so that we have a phone that is actually ours.

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    • atmorous@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Let’s not wait. Let’s collectively ask Valve to make that next

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    • Soup@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I hope that one day we fix our bullshit and stop relying on corporations to save us. This should should be regulated to hell and back by representatives and their teams who are at worst just mediocre at their jobs.

      While we’re dreaming and all that I’m gunna high ball it.

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    • bridgeenjoyer@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Gaben deserves a 14th yacht if he makes this ;)

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    • shani66@ani.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I’d absolutely move to a steam machine in my pocket.

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  • homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    First sentence:

    Samsung has been accused of shipping budget Galaxy A and M series smartphones with pre-installed spyware that users can’t easily remove.

    So unremovable in the sense that it can be removed.

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    • affiliate@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      also from the article:

      Even more concerning, attempts to uninstall it often fail due to its deep integration into Samsung’s One UI operating system.

      Reports indicate the app reactivates automatically following software updates or factory resets, making it virtually unremovable for average users.

      but i do agree that “virtually unremovable” and “unremovable” are two very different things. and im not even sure i would classify this as “virtually unremovable”

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    • SnoringEarthworm@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      A new type of Android spyware that requires a password for uninstallation has been identified, making it increasingly difficult for victims to remove the malicious software from their devices.

      The first sentence in the link that you linked.

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  • peetabix@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Don’t buy any Samsung devices, got it.

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    • Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      But what options are there for non tech savvy people. Apple isn’t any better.

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      • Bahnd@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Fairphone or a Google Pixle (optional GraphenOS, ive had non-tech people install it with no issues)

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      • vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I’ve got a Motorola, it probably still has spyware but at least it’s cheap, durable, and has a decent battery.

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      • viking@infosec.pub ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        OnePlus, Pixel, Sony, Sharp.

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      • Alchalide@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Pixels are just bad hardware. 3 models got software updates that destroy battery life and more issues. No DAC ever worked properly on my 6a. They did gave me $100 for replacing the battery but I just bought, but I bought an s25. The Samsung has great hardware, software is less good than the pixel.

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  • Cevilia@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    When my Graphene’d Pixel 7 goes out of support I’m switching to something Linux based even if I have to get a Raspberry Pi and a case and carry around a brick. My handbag’s big enough.

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    • PieMePlenty@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I found this.

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      • PumaStoleMyBluff@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Kinda funny that for all the downsides, the one that made me say oof was resistive touch.

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    • rumba@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I REALLY wanted to do a pi phone, and while it’s very possible to make a working phone/tablet out of one, their power consumption is absolutely awful. Most of the linux capable SBC’s can’t do low power.

      I want an 8" linux touch screen with 18h of moderate usage batter life, I’m even willing to carry around a separate 4g access point.

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    • Estebiu@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Furi’s FLX1s seems like a valid alternative.

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    • Integrate777@discuss.online ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      CM5s have 16GB of ram, some people might be building a postmarket os port for it too. Just need someone to design phone hardware for it.

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  • zaki_ft@lemmings.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    This is Israeli spyware.

    They own you.

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  • livingcoder@programming.dev ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I will never buy another Samsung phone or tablet. I was done the moment I started getting notification ads from the Samsung store that I cannot disable.

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    • TrumpetX@programming.dev ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      This is me. As I write to you from my Graphene Pixel 9. My first non Samsung phone since the S3. The S22 unwanted ads were just too much. (and apparently it’s all worse now) You could disable them, but you had to re disable after every update. The second I found a good deal on a pixel I jumped.

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      • vaionko@sopuli.xyz ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        I had a Note 20. A week ago I got an Xperia 5 II for 70€ and installed LineageOS and it’s so much faster than the Samsung. Decent Pixels are a quite expensive here so no Graphene for me

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    • dvlsg@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I used to only buy Samsung phones.

      Now they’re the only phone I’ve ever returned. Never touching their shit again.

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  • technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Zionist Spyware

    The bullshit propaganda is strong in this article.

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  • hal_5700X@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    The software in question, AppCloud, developed by the mobile analytics firm IronSource, has been embedded in devices sold primarily in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

    So if you’re not in the Middle East. You’re good. Still not going to buy any Samsung devices.

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  • sleen@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    With the past decades or so a phone has become a standard piece of equipment where it’s virtually used everywhere, anytime. It is a complete disaster that those standards are not applied to what’s deemed under the hood - all these companies are deemed to do anything they want to because nothing is standard.

    Look where that got us - a duopoly where going against them is deemed “inescapable”. It is disappointing how we even let this happen in the first place, the capitalists and fascists basically own us because of it.

    All that got us is a standard thing tacked together by mystery tape and glue - hardware & software. Open source software and standards have barely any say here just because the fascists in rule decided so.

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  • hiramfromthechi@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Hello from GrapheneOS 👋

    Tech savvy Lemmings don’t need SwapMyOS, but for more non-technical folk, it’s there just in case by demand.

    AMA.

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  • GaryGhost@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I hate galaxy phones, they’re build quality is so shitty and the prices are higher than a google pixel. Now they come with Israeli spyware? What other phones have spyware that I should know about?

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  • Gammelfisch@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    I have yet to purchase a Samsung mobile phone and I will do my best to keep it that way.

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  • jankforlife@lemmy.ml ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Is anyone really surprised one of the biggest companies in occupied korea would do this??

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  • atmorous@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    We need new OEM’s made. Seriously we can’t keep going like this. Any other good alternatives?

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  • MourningDove@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Remember when Apple was the bad guy?

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  • artyom@piefed.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Alwayshasbeen.jpg

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  • pir8t0x@ani.social ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    If you’re talking about “AppCloud” here, I already deleted that through Canta a while ago

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  • azha@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Hey I’m from middle east and yes I know about this, ironSource is an Israeli company, I personally don’t mind where its from but the fact that it collects user data is not so nice. I use Galaxy A53 and I slapped a GSI on it, I am using a degoogled version of android 16 and away from Samsung stuff been daily driving it for 5 months now works great, calls working, SMS works, camera works, NFC works, bank apps do not work. Thats it

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  • sem@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Cloudflare down

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  • sturmblast@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Bad headline

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