I generally trust Apple’s proprietary software because many years of experience demonstrate that they generally tell the truth, and their claims hold up under scrutiny. But this case isn’t Apple, it’s Google and China.
I assume all other proprietary software is out to get me. I’m rarely wrong about that. :-)
Apple operating systems are based on UNIX. Yes it is their own modified version of UNIX yet the open systems architecture feature is still there. This means ease of modification at the OS level to control IO routines and data management. This is one of the reasons Apple does not allow users command prompt access like Microsoft’s operating systems have done. Unfortunately, just because the average layman user cannot figure out how to get down to the Apple OS does not mean a knowledgeable user will be deterred. I’ve always thought this is why laymen are utterly convinced Apple products are more safe and secure than any of Microsoft’s; pure fallacy. To those with skill and knowledge, they are both equally vulnerable. Now, licensed software developers for Android and IOS have to allegedly abide by both Google’s and Apple’s software requirements before they allow the software to run in their smartphone OSes. I will assume that the larger the demand for the software, the more ‘laissez-faire’ the OS owners are in corroborating second party code developers are adhering to the OS owner rules. This is a business decision while knowing the risk of potentially damaging their brand. Compound this to both Apple’s and Google’s business interests in and with China and you likely have a free pass for China made software with little scrutiny. If discovered, both Google and Apple can always claim being bamboozled by those ‘waskily’ chinese; move on, nothing to see here and the chinese learn how to better hide their stuff. I write this without any actual proof yet much circumstantial evidence and knowing the big tech (as does Hollywood but that is another story) companies see China as their next big market to sell their wares and make more money. What these dolts do not realize is the chinese will copy their products and push them out of the market by underselling them; hello HUAWEI/ZTE. Along the way, Americans get hooked on chinese connected apps like Tik Tok & Zoom. Oh, read this about Zoom despite being labeled an “American’ business (https://techcrunch.com/2020/04/03/zoom-calls-routed-china/); hello Eric Yuan. Meanwhile China spies on the US via its software and electronics. One more thing, I know it is a whole lot of data coming in to through these apps to go through and find the golden nuggets of worthy intelligence. Hence china’s push for AI, supercomputers and the city of Shenzhen (tech super city). Apologies, for being a bit long and ‘ranty’.
Regards.