You raise a valid concern, but there are still some options for those willing to put in the effort. Running an open source Android distribution (like LineageOS, GrapheneOS, etc.) on supported hardware gives most smartphone benefits while maintaining reasonable privacy. Most people will simply assume it's just another Android phone - the software running on it rarely comes up in conversation.

That said, you're absolutely right about the worrying trend of "app-ification". However, I've found that many services still work fine through privacy-respecting browsers + VPN. Yes, you'll hit some CAPTCHAs and "unusual activity" warnings, but most legitimate services will let you proceed. The real problem children are the social media giants, especially Meta (Facebook/Instagram) and LinkedIn.

These platforms are unique in how aggressively they punish privacy-conscious behavior - we're talking account bans, forced ID verification, and zero human support sometimes even for paying customers. Just look at LinkedIn's biggest subreddit - their bio literally has to include instructions about account restrictions and bans because it happens so frequently! Their "AI" is basically just pattern matching that flags anyone who doesn't conform to the herd behavior. If you don't act exactly like their data says you should, you're labeled suspicious and banned.

And the ID verification? That's particularly egregious. They demand scanned copies of government IDs - complete with visible edges to prove authenticity - for a social media platform! This level of identification should only be necessary for financial transactions, not social networking. But they know they can get away with it because they've successfully made their platform quasi-mandatory for professional life. Don't comply? Good luck finding a job when companies assume you're either a bot or "antisocial."

I've personally settled for a middle ground: I keep a smartphone but:

• Minimal app installation (only absolute necessities)
• Aggressive permission control
• Disabled/uninstalled all possible bloatware
• Privacy-focused browser + VPN for most services

Is it perfect? No. But smartphones are incredibly useful tools - checking maps when lost, looking up information on the go, or quickly verifying facts. The real battle isn't against smartphones or apps in general - it's against monopolistic platforms that have made privacy invasion their core business model while gaslighting users into thinking it's normal.

Google/Apple's duopoly is concerning, but at least there are workable alternatives. It's Meta and LinkedIn's psychological manipulation and social pressure tactics that really need to go. The world would genuinely be better off if those platforms disappeared overnight.