[sneak]

After a decade deep into the Apple/iOS ecosystem, I now make a unique disposable Apple ID for each and every mobile device, and eschew all paid apps. I don't use iCloud at all. I don't use an Apple ID on desktops at all, save for one that has its own disposable one for certain essential apps that are not available elsewhere (Apple Configurator 2 is required to restore M1 macs).

Making entirely unlinked/unique Apple IDs is expensive because each one requires a working phone number to create.

This is really the only safe approach these days, given nonsense like this.

Because iCloud Backup is non-e2e (like most of iCloud) and thus permits Apple (and the FBI by extension without a warrant) to read whatever they want out of your phone's contents, I have to do manual corded backups periodically because Apple doesn't have their cryptographic shit together. :/

I have one old wiped phone that is signed in to my ~decade-old Apple ID for managing my Apple Card, which cannot be moved between Apple IDs (just like your purchases). I'll probably cancel the card soon and delete that account. I've already replaced all of the movies I foolishly bought years ago on iTunes with torrented copies.

[caeril]

> because each one requires a working phone number to create

This isn't true. I have an email-only apple account that works fine. My lock screen constantly carries a "Verify your phone number" badge that's rather annoying, but otherwise everything functions.

[sneak]

It is true today. It wasn't in the past.

You can't today make a new Apple ID without a phone number.

(Please double check that your information is current before you claim something is false.)

[tatersolid]

I made apple IDs for all three of my children without a phone number or pre-existing email address (their @icloud.com email was their first, created during setup).

[ValentineC]

I believe they've started requiring phone numbers and some form of SMS two-factor authentication on new accounts.

(I've gone through this recently when I created a new, separate account.)

[amelius]

So... it works until it doesn't? What if you are traveling and Apple decides they really need your phone number this time, and locks you out of your stuff?

[oarsinsync]

What if you are traveling and Apple decides they really need another identifier, and locks you out of your stuff?

[AnonC]

This is quite interesting and I’d like to know about the reasons as well as how all these are managed, the constraints, and any other annoyances you might face because of this approach. Using iCloud makes sharing things so easy across devices, and I’m not for trading off one bad service for another bad service (am not implying that you are).

If you ever write this up (or have written this up) in detail, please do share.

[sneak]

I use the devices primarily as clients for cloud computing services: IMAP email boxes, Signal, Google Voice, Standard Notes, Spotify, Feedly, ProtonMail, Slack, Mattermost, et c. I find I have relatively little need for "sharing things across devices" that aren't met by the cloud functionality of apps.

The big one I thought I was going to miss: contacts sync. I don't miss it. I keep a phone number list in Standard Notes. Most of the functionality of Signal's "recent conversations" covers this need for me.

I'm setting up nextcloud soon and I understand that can do contacts/calendar sync to iOS. The only thing I haven't found a solution for is email inbox delegation and shared calendars.

You're right that this would make a good writeup.