[digiown]

Android does have a meaningfully improved security over typical Linux desktop: the segmentation of data between apps. Imagine what would happen if people run all the proprietary crap they do on a typical Linux box. That's multiple spyware apps with full filesystem access.

Unfortunately, Google also uses it to abuse the user by also segmenting the user's access as well, "protecting" apps from the user, which is an abomination.

[zozbot234]

We have Flatpak/bubblewrap that can accomplish the same sandboxing on the Linux desktop, with no need for clumsy hacks like app-specific user ID's.

[realusername]

And yet, I keep all my important stuff on my Linux laptop and not on my phone. There's maybe a lesson here that security is also about trust.

[digiown]

Me too. But you have to be a lot more careful about not running proprietary crap on the desktop, which is easier to do than on phone. Ever been forced to install some crap for some event/business/etc?

[realusername]

I have the somewhat controversial opinion that most Android apps are pretty much useless as native and they would be okay as a webapp if it would be more seamless.

Exceptions would maybe be games.

[digiown]

I wouldn't disagree at all. But you often have to waste a lot of time to avoid them, if at all possible. It's a good thing that Android at least offers some protection against them exfiltrating your filesystem.