You still have more control compared to iPhone where you cannot change your default SMS messaging app, or even your default browser. And you have no choice in browser engine either. And it's hardly a walled garden when I can sideload any app on any Android phone. Xiaomi even has their own store that's not Google Play.
The assumption is that the apps you choose on iOS just won’t be default. You can still have an SMS or mail app that invades your privacy by uploading everything to a remote server, it just wont be given the GUI conveniences of a default app — a big competitive edge.
But it will be difficult to clamp down on leaking user security and privacy when Apple itself has unencrypted backups, so they can’t pressure other companies to proactively protect user data at rest.
I’ve stopped using higher quality non Apple apps because even something like a calendar app or todo app warrants a special private cloud that slurps up your data with a legitimate argument for why they should have everything.
