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ICEBlock climbs to the top of the App Store charts after officials slam it
(www.engadget.com)
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this post was submitted on 03 Jul 2025
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The devs don't really seem to have a clue about smartphone.
https://bsky.app/profile/grapheneos.org/post/3lt2prfb2vk2r
Glad others have pointed this out. Their "reasons" for not supporting 70% of worldwide smartphones via Android seemed very suspect.
Because visitors to the US don't tend to be from the US, that's only logical
Think about that for a second. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by definition involves at least one border and 2 countries. Even if they only went after American citizens (which they're trying to do), they'd be deporting you somewhere else.
As it is, I suspect a significant number of at-risk people in the US and their advocates use Android.
I think he thinks HE had to store the information, and if he isn't the one storing it, it's anonymous.
Except, on Android, you can also do it where only google stores the information and he doesn't have to store any. And there are no user name or passwords or accounts involved to listen to specific channels like he claims.
You can collect this information, and you'd be able to write a more custom push service, but it isn't needed at all, but Google and Apple will always know who is getting the messages.
Thanks for the heads up.
Saw it wasn't on F-Droid and was going to ask for source page (to get through Obtanium), but looks like they're allergic to android and derivates. Appreciate you pointing to references.
Can't speak to the rest of the claims, but Android practically does too. If one has to sideload an app, you've lost 99% of users, if not more.
It makes me suspect they're not talking about the stock systems OEMs ship.
Relevant XKCD: https://xkcd.com/2501/
The developers of GrapheneOS, an independent, security-oriented Android distribution are probably not only talking about stock OEM Android. What they're saying is true about stock OEM android though.
That's a separate issue from whether users are forced to get all their software from a specific source, which is also separate from whether users will actually use other sources when given the option.
On Android, developers can offer users a way to install an app that isn't easily traced to their identity and on iOS they can't. Furthermore, an Android app can be both on the Play store and available from other sources; there's no exclusivity.
You got that "tracked to their identity" opposite around. The reason why there is no Android App is, if the phone gets "found" the data about the user/owner is an open book.
This is not one of the claims made by the ICEBlock developers; their claims are only to do with notifications.
If you want to claim that a locked Android device is substantially easier for law enforcement to break in to than a locked iPhone, please cite up-to-date (from 2025) sources.