@Erik4872
Their justification seems to be that people are fine with Apple and Android phones phoning home
Fixed that for you. In case you missed it, Apple is actively marketing iOS as an alternative to Google's snoopy and information selling ways, at least in Tim Cook's statements. They aren't making ads that say that, but privacy is a difficult concept to sell to the general public.
The important difference between Android and Windows is that you don't pay anything for Android. Selling your personal data is the trade you make for having a wide selection of cheaper phones thanks to the Google developing and giving away Android to the world at large. Paying more for iPhones is the trade you make for keeping that personal data safe[*].
Microsoft wants to have it both ways, making you pay for Windows, and collecting money from selling your personal information. People may be "fine" with this based on Android's market share, but how many consumers really know that's the choice they are making by selecting Android, or even if they did/do believe the price premium of an iPhone is worth it to avoid that?
[*] Not claiming Apple collects absolutely no personal information, but what they collect isn't to feed a massive worldwide hungry advertising beast that is never sated like Google's. Apple makes so much money from selling iPhones that they'd probably lose money trying to sell personal data like Google, because if they did those who consider that an important differentiation with Android might figure "what's the point in paying more for an iPhone" and that loss would outweigh whatever extra cash they could make from selling people's personal information.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
