Freedom of Choice vs. Oppression of Big Tech
Randy Siegel
Latest posts by Randy Siegel (see all)
- Freedom of Choice vs. Oppression of Big Tech - November 6, 2024
- The Case for Free/Libre and Open-Source Software: Enhancing Security and Privacy in the Digital Age - October 22, 2024
- RIP RSA AES: The Immediate Need of Quantum-Resistant Cryptography - October 22, 2024
The rise of Big Tech and the erosion of privacy
The modern smartphone landscape is dominated by a handful of technology giants, whose influence extends far beyond their own ecosystems. In the heyday of the PC revolution, multiple companies fought tooth and nail for market share by differentiating on feature functionality as well as price – offering a plethora of alternatives. In contrast, two players dominate today’s smartphone landscape: Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android.
These tech behemoths—Apple, Google, and their ilk—exert significant control over the hardware, software, and data that underpin our digital experiences. This concentration of power has led to a troubling erosion of privacy, as these companies collect and monetize vast amounts of personal data. The lack of large scale competition in the smartphone market exacerbates this issue, leaving consumers with limited options to safeguard their privacy.
As Purism grows and our market share grows, our goal is to compete at the large scale and be a convenient privacy-respecting alternative.
Empowering users through choice
Smartphone alternatives empower everyday users, businesses, and government organizations, through choice. With a range of alternatives to the dominant players, consumers gain the opportunity to select devices that align with their values and priorities. Companies like Purism prioritize user privacy, security, and freedom, offering smartphones designed with these principles at the forefront. This freedom offers consumers access to cutting-edge technology without compromising their values.
The “app gap” challenge
The dominance of big tech stifles innovation by creating a homogenized market where incremental updates and minor improvements become the norm. Moreover, big tech seeks to create a digital moat by which they can protect their hegemony. This is perhaps most readily observed in app stores and the so-called “app-gap.”
The application store market is a textbook example of network effects at play. The value of an app store is intrinsically tied to the number and quality of apps available within it. As more developers create apps for a specific platform, the app store’s value increases for users, attracting even more users to the platform. This, in turn, incentivizes more developers to create apps for the platform, creating a not-so-virtuous cycle of growth. Providers, and even public services, may require apps for service due to the app stores’ high market penetration. This creates something that we at Purism like to refer to as the “app gap” whereby the incumbents tout the large number of applications available compared to new market entrants.
Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store have amassed millions of apps, ranging from essential utilities to entertainment and productivity tools. The sheer volume and depth of apps available creates a compelling reason for users to choose these platforms over PureOS, which has fewer apps (but is growing). The corollary is that smaller or new entrants will face heavy headwinds in order to compete. This “app gap” represents a flywheel by which the incumbents can effectively stifle competition.
Fostering innovation and competition
With an entrenched app store duopoly, Apple and Google dictate what device owners may install on their phones. Individuals have no practical alternative if they disagree. This concentration of power raises concerns about data privacy, user autonomy, and the ethical implications of monopolistic practices.
PureOS is a competitive alternative that encourages diversity in apps and app stores. PureOS allows you to freely install software of your choice on your device, without intentionally deceptive barriers. The PureOS Store supports alternative sources of apps, including Debian package repositories and Flatpak repositories. Purism promotes and offers the apps that we think are the best for users, but you are not required to agree with us.
Encouraging digital rights in business practices
The influence of big tech extends beyond the realm of technology, shaping societal norms and digital standards. The monopolistic tendencies of these companies range from exploitative business practices, spying, tracking, user manipulation, to labor exploitation and environmental degradation.
By supporting a budding smartphone manufacturer with an alternative OS that prioritizes privacy protections and security by default, consumers can drive positive change within the industry. Purism’s products are designed to be repairable, not just by Purism but also by any electronics repair facility. Big tech monopolists profit most by building unrepairable devices with design lifetimes of just a few years. Repairable devices offer a much longer service life. PureOS aligns with this goal by enabling long term software support. Purism’s oldest devices still receive firmware updates and still run the latest versions of PureOS.
Freedom’s Power
A freedom respecting smartphone market fosters growth for everyone. This freedom ensures that technology serves as a force for good, bridging divides, and fostering a sense of belonging.
Purism is a growing company that has thoughtfully designed their hardware, software, and ecosystem to empower device owners, not manufacturers. Our devices feature hardware separation of components; a cornerstone of security and a best practice defense against a range of malware and pernicious attack vectors. We have published the Librem 5 hardware schematics and our entire PureOS repository. PureOS is a fully free/libre and open source operating system, readily available to anyone who wants to use it, see it, or modify it.
In an era where big tech wields unprecedented power, it is imperative that consumers have access to a variety of smartphone options that prioritize privacy, innovation, ethical practices, and inclusivity. By embracing freedom, we can create a healthier, more equitable technological environment that empowers individuals to take control of their digital lives.
Purism is building this rights-respecting ecosystem.
Purism Products and Availability Chart
| Model | Status | Lead Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Librem Key (Made in USA) | In Stock ($59+) | 10 business days | |
 | Librem 5 | In Stock ($699+) 3GB/32GB | 10 business days | |
| Librem 5 COMSEC Bundle | In Stock ($1299+) Qty 2; 3GB/32GB | 10 business days | |
| Liberty Phone (Made in USA Electronics) | Backorder ($1,999+) 4GB/128GB | Estimated fulfillment February | |
| Librem 5 + SIMple (3 GB Data) | In Stock ($99/mo) | 10 business days | |
| Librem 5 + SIMple Plus (5 GB Data) | In Stock ($129/mo) | 10 business days | |
| Librem 5 + AweSIM (Unlimited Data) | In Stock ($169/mo) | 10 business days | |
 | Librem 11 | In Stock ($999+) 8GB/1TB | 10 business days | |
 | Librem 14 | Backorder ($1,370+) | Estimated fulfillment December | |
 | Librem Mini | Backorder ($799+) | 10 business days | |
 | Librem Server | In Stock ($2,999+) | 45 business days |
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