[Al3xander M]

I'm noticing that some of the apps bundled with my Classic keep sending and receiving data in the background. Apps that aren't supposed to go online at all, that is - 'Android Player', for instance, which I take is the stock Music app. I don't have any Google services installed on the device. Could anyone please shed some light on what might be going on 'behind the scenes'? I hear BlackBerry analytics has long ceased to exist. Coming from Symbian, it is all rather annoying, especially given BB OS's reputation as a secure platform. Are those Google freaks still harvesting something on the phone even without their rubbish services installed?

[brookie229]

I'm noticing that some of the apps bundled with my Classic keep sending and receiving data in the background. Apps that aren't supposed to go online at all, that is - 'Android Player', for instance, which I take is the stock Music app. I don't have any Google services installed on the device. Could anyone please shed some light on what might be going on 'behind the scenes'? I hear BlackBerry analytics has long ceased to exist. Coming from Symbian, it is all rather annoying, especially given BB OS's reputation as a secure platform. Are those Google freaks still harvesting something on the phone even without their rubbish services installed?

The "android player" is only part of the android runtime in the BB10 OS. It is NOT the stock music player. It cannot be removed without breaking something and it's ok to just ignore.

[Al3xander M]

Shame on me, hehe. Should've looked it up. However, I've only had a few Android apps / app ports on the device, which I've deleted already. Why is the runtime still active?

[conite]

Shame on me, hehe. Should've looked it up. However, I've only had a few Android apps / app ports on the device, which I've deleted already. Why is the runtime still active?

About half of the apps from BlackBerry World are Android apps - unbeknown to many who download them.

[anon(5597702)]

Shame on me, hehe. Should've looked it up. However, I've only had a few Android apps / app ports on the device, which I've deleted already. Why is the runtime still active?

The runtime is simply baked into and inextricably tied to the BB10 OS, as brookie already mentioned. If you are not running Android apps, the runtime still needs to be loaded in the background, but it's using a negligible amount of battery if that's your worry. And as conite said, you may well be running Android apps without realizing it as many are still living in BlackBerry World.

[Ben xfg]

The runtime is simply baked into and inextricably tied to the BB10 OS, as brookie already mentioned. If you are not running Android apps, the runtime still needs to be loaded in the background, but it's using a negligible amount of battery if that's your worry. And as conite said, you may well be running Android apps without realizing it as many are still living in BlackBerry World.

But I thought I read on CB somewhere that you can literally kill the runtime if you aren't using any Android apps and want to gain some battery life...? I never tried it as I usually was using at least one (1) Android app or so.

[anon(5597702)]

But I thought I read on CB somewhere that you can literally kill the runtime if you aren't using any Android apps and want to gain some battery life...? I never tried it as I usually was using at least one (1) Android app or so.

True, this may be possible if you don't ever restart the phone. I never tried it but never noticed any major battery drain with the ART running in the background/limiting to 2-3 Android apps on the device.

[Al3xander M]

I suspected as much. However, the apps currently installed on my phone are by no means Android apps since I can set the permissions for them.

[anon(5597702)]

I suspected as much. However, the apps currently installed on my phone are by no means Android apps since I can set the permissions for them.

You can set some permission for Android apps on a BB10 device too.

[conite]

I suspected as much. However, the apps currently installed on my phone are by no means Android apps since I can set the permissions for them.

The Android Runtime does not run by itself unless it is polling installed Android Apps or responding to trigger events from installed Android apps.

It could be caught in a cycle from a previously installed app. Reboot the phone and don't touch it for 15 minutes.

If it is still drawing, then you either HAVE an Android app installed, or the Runtime is corrupted.

Let's cross that bridge if we come to it.

[Al3xander M]

You can set some permission for Android apps on a BB10 device too.

Most of them are greyed out, though, which is not the case with the apps I'm using. I'm not obsessed with battery life, just don't want any Google snooping on my phone. And I'm not being paranoid, either- but I honestly can't stand the sight of Google services. I only use Apple computers, whose OS is quite restrictive and thus well-protected against analytics, fingerprinting, or data leaks. Hope BlackBerries are equally good in that department :P

[conite]

Most of them are greyed out, though, which is not the case with the apps I'm using. I'm not obsessed with battery life, just don't want any Google snooping on my phone. And no, I'm not being paranoid - but I honestly can't stand the sight of Google services. I only use Apple computers, whose OS is quite restrictive and thus well-protected against web analytics fingerprinting or data leaks. Hope BlackBerry gear is equally good in that department :P

Buy a Pixel device and install LineageOS on it. 0% Google. 0% Apple.

Then use a tracker-blocker and only download FOSS apps.

There is no more private a setup you can have than that.

[anon(5597702)]

Buy a Pixel device and install LineageOS on it. 0% Google. 0% Apple.

Then use a tracker-blocker and only download FOSS apps.

You can have 0% Google (and of course 0% Apple) on a BB10 device if you want, as well.

In any case, he said he prefers Apple devices so why suggest another platform?

[conite]

In any case, he said he prefers Apple devices so why suggest another platform?

Why not? Stop policing.

And he said Apple "computers".

I'm providing a suggestion for a modern mobile solution with zero tracking. Based on his comment, he may be somewhat interested.

[Al3xander M]

Thanks everyone for your input. I reckon there's no need to get extreme, though. I like BlackBerry and retro gear in general because I prefer to keep it simple, and I don't want to be flooded by all manner of rubbish apps/settings, which I'm inevitably tempted to instal/trigger on modern gizmos. Kind of keeps my otherwise procrastinating mind at bay :-D I also fancy PKBs a lot. Don't get me wrong, the Classic is the finest bit of kit I've used in years. It is much, much cosier than the Priv (hated both the phone and its cumbersome Google-y OS) or the modern era (post-iOS 6) iPhones I've used for years. I'm also inclined to do my stuff on computers, not tiny screens devoid of handy input methods like keyboards and mice/trackpads. Yet another reason to stay on BlackBerry, btw

P.S. I kind of trust Apple, which still make the best ever computers, IMO. However, I'm generally wary of third-party developers on any platform, let alone an entire OS from someone like Google.

[conite]

P.S. I kind of trust Apple, which still makes the best computers ever, IMO. However, I'm generally wary of third-party developers on any platform, let alone an entire OS from someone like Google.

Unlike Google Android and Apple iOS (Apple is still a big privacy offender despite your comfort), LineageOS is based on AOSP - which is 100% open-source. You can inspect the code line-by-line yourself as countless others have (including security and privacy experts). There is zero spyware or tracking. Even BB10 can't say the same, as reams of info is sent back to BlackBerry all of the time. Just sayin'.

[Al3xander M]

Interesting! As I said, though, I stick with more or less retro phones for simplicity's sake while out and about. Would be browsing and chatting and experimenting all the time otherwise. I also like the ease of access to the Classic's features and the shortcuts its PKB allows. Not the case with modern phones at all, where you first flip through all the menus and options and social-oriented / AI rubbish, such as share/like/dislike/morelikethis, etc., - in music apps, for instance, whereas I personally just want to listen to my music on the go. All in all, it's too much of a bother.

The issue with the 'home-calls' to BlackBerry will resolve itself when BB10 finally reaches its EOL, won't it?

[conite]

Interesting! As I said, though, I stick with more or less retro phones for simplicity's sake while out and about. Would be browsing and chatting and experimenting all the time otherwise. I also like the ease of access to the Classic's features and the shortcuts its PKB allows. Not the case with modern phones at all, where you first flip through all the menus and options and social-oriented / AI rubbish, such as share/like/dislike/morelikethis, etc., for example, in music apps, whereas I personally just want to listen to my music on the go. All in all, it's too much of a bother.

The issue with 'home-calls' to BlackBerry will resolve itself when BB10 finally reaches its EOL, won't it?

Blackberry apps (most are third party) have trackers too, but unlike Android, you can't install a tracker-blocker to stop it.

[Al3xander M]

What kind of trackers? Isn't BBOS supposed to be preventing them from snooping around? I've got less than 5 third-party apps installed, though, for which I've turned off most permissions but the essential. Furthermore, since retro phones aren't really synced up to the computer or my cloud storage, with the exception of e-mail, calendar, and contacts - which the trackers hopefully cannot access - and because I'm not logged in anywhere with the phone browser save for CrackBerry, tracking doesn't matter much. Please correct me if I'm mistaken.

[conite]

What kind of trackers? Isn't BBOS supposed to be preventing them from snooping around? I've got less than 5 third-party apps installed, though, for which I've turned off most permissions but the essential. Furthermore, since retro phones aren't really synced up to the computer or my cloud storage, with the exception of e-mail, calendar, and contacts - which the trackers hopefully cannot access - and because I'm not logged in anywhere with the phone browser save for CrackBerry, tracking doesn't matter much. Please correct me if I'm mistaken.

Apps do their own thing independent of the OS and the protections put in place.

Containerisation on BB10 can mitigate some types of data scraping, but it's hard to define.

Many apps still have usage trackers at a minimum. There is simply no console or app available on BB10 to accurately monitor such things though.

Nemory native apps were notorious for stealing information.

[Al3xander M]

Is those trackers' reach system-wide, though? Can they access your accounts, such as email, contacts, etc.? It's a pity one can't restrict data usage for certain apps, or set data connexions to 'on demand' as was the case with Symbian. I usually keep mobile data off, but the instance I turn it back on, the rubbish starts transmitting all at once in the background

[conite]

Is those trackers' reach system-wide, though? Can they access your accounts, such as email, contacts, etc.? It's a pity one can't restrict data usage for certain apps, or set data connexions to 'on demand' as was the case with Symbian. I usually keep mobile data off, but the instance I turn it back on, the rubbish starts transmitting all at once in the background

As I indicated, containerisation protects you pretty well. It's just hard to definitively say what data bits are hanging around where.

I wouldn't lose a lot of sleep over BB10's security shortcomings, but ironically, Android, under specific circumstances, can be made more private than any other platform, and can be effectively monitored.

[anon(5597702)]

Why not? Stop policing.

Not my intention as I asked a question and I don't appreciate the accusation. If mods deem my post inappropriate, they can take applicable action.

[FortressBB10]

I have a conspiracy theory that in John Chen's mission to cash in on everything BB had to pay off its most important creditor, he sold BB10 users out to Google and Amazon by selling all of our data to them behind our backs.

Maybe I'm wrong, but this would support my conspiracy theory.

Posted via CB10

[conite]

I have a conspiracy theory that in John Chen's mission to cash in on everything BB had to pay off its most important creditor, he sold BB10 users out to Google and Amazon by selling all of our data to them behind our backs.

Maybe I'm wrong, but this would support my conspiracy theory.

Posted via CB10

Why would Google or Amazon pay 2¢ for the data from the relative handful of Blackberry users?