Telegram CEO and co-founder Pavel Durov recently attacked Apple and called iPhone owners "digital slaves." Durov posted a message to his Telegram channel following the publication of a New York Times article that outlines concerns about Apple's approach to privacy in China. He went on to decry Apple's closed ecosystem, which he described as "totalitarian."

Telegram is a free messaging app with a focus on privacy, security, and openness. Although its focuses on privacy and security largely align with Apple, its focus on openness has put it at odds with the company in the past, with Durov having been vocal about his opposition to Apple's 30-percent app commission. Although Apple has positioned itself as a protector of the privacy and security of its users — such as in refusing to give authorities access to users' iPhones and by introducing its App Tracking Transparency feature — it has given ground to the Chinese government on data storage and app censorship, with the New York Times saying its compromises "have made it nearly impossible for the company to stop the Chinese government from gaining access to the emails, photos, documents, contacts, and locations of millions of Chinese residents." The Times also found that tens of thousands of apps had disappeared from the Chinese App Store over several years, including foreign news outlets, gay dating services, and encrypted messaging apps.

Related: Are iOS Users Really Not Limited To The App Store?

It was with these accusations in mind that Durov took to Telegram to chastise Apple for its activities in China and its broader business model. He characterized Apple as being "involved in large-scale surveillance and censorship at the behest of China," but said that this was unsurprising given the proclivity of big tech to prioritize profits over freedoms. Durov went on to argue that Apple is very efficient at pursuing its business model in this way in part by "selling overpriced, obsolete hardware to customers locked in their ecosystem." He suggested this final point, based on Apple's practices like refusing to let users install apps from outside the App Store and only allowing users to natively back up their data using iCloud, makes iPhone users digital slaves.

Does Telegram Have A Case?

Telegram and Apple logos

Apple has always taken a walled garden approach to its ecosystem. Complete with mobile devices, wearables, and services, it wants users to buy increasingly into its ecosystem typically once they have first purchased an iPhone. While there's no doubt that Apple tightly controls its ecosystem and users do become more entrenched, part of the reason for these things is that Apple can ensure a high-quality offering and provide an outstanding user experience. It can point to these things as validation of its approach.

Durov's arguments that Apple is aiding China's surveillance and censorship hold more weight. There is little doubt that Apple is ceding to its demands in terms of what apps it allows on the country's App Store. Similarly, despite Apple's claims that it does everything it can to protect the data of its Chinese users, the New York Times claims that Chinese state employees physically manage the computers in its data center, that it has abandoned the encryption technology it uses elsewhere, and that "the digital keys that unlock information on those computers are stored in the data centers they’re meant to secure," are pretty damning. As the Times says, Apple's CEO Tim Cook's response to this is that participating with some compromises is better than shouting from the sidelines, even when you may not agree entirely with the rules. The question is where you draw that line.

One thing for sure is that Apple's approaches to privacy, security, and censorship in the U.S. are far more robust. While there are still rules about what is allowed on the App Store, the same applies to Android's Play Store. Buying into tech today typically necessitates buying into an ecosystem of some sort and users should be aware of the implications and choose accordingly. Calling Apple users "digital slaves" is certainly hyperbolic — choice does still exist, although there may be trade-offs to be made.

More: Which Is The Better WhatsApp Alternative: Signal Or Telegram?

Source: Telegram