I am under no illusion that Apple is much better but I don’t use Android, gmail on a regular basis, don’t use Chrome on mobile, don’t use Google hangouts, instant messenger, groups, don’t use Picasso (Photo service.) or much else by them.
However... and this is the big but. I use them for search.
Still I’m not surprised by what they save. Their meta data alone could sink any single person that ever wanted to run for office, was a public personality or a business adversary. Not to mention how they could throw it into performance reviews of their employees.
It’s beyond time to regulate (I hate to say that.) or break up Facebook, Amazon and Alphabet. They are worse than US Steel, Standard, JP Morgan or AT&T.
Those companies may have maximized what they could earn from their customers. These new hi tech robber barons just want to own you and everything you do.
Following onto your thoughts regarding regulating these data mines.
If Congress did look like they were going to act aggressively, I wouldn’t put it past any of these companies to surreptitiously release damaging information from their massive troves, about several key legislators, as a shot across the bow about how they will protect their monopolies.
I use Apple products, and nothing showed up on my locations. Like you, I mostly use Google search, but I also go to YouTube. No Gmail or Chrome. There was a certain amount of search history, but it was not complete. I think it only tracks when you’re signed on to your google ID.
Google doesn’t even know my gender, but we all know that’s subject to change at a moment’s notice anyway. I’m going to check whatever other data they have on me later.