Why own a smartphone, then? You can buy a prepaid Tracphone or whatever that's a non-smartphone and requires absolutely none of that. No apps, no anything.
I can't speak for the OP, but I imagine he wants some of the traits traditionally associated with an appliance (extremely low maintenance primarily) combined with some of those associated with general purpose computers (running software not provided by the manufacturer, customisability).
The reality is there is a tension between these two, and we are lucky enough to have two high quality platforms where the line is drawn in different places.
It is incorrect to assume you can have more of one without compromising the other though.
Yeah, you can't let someone else manage everything and just expect them to be acting in your best interests. But if you just want something that's a phone and only a phone, that's both readily available and very, very cheap.
Sorry, I'm not sure what you mean. If by acting in my best interests I mean 'checking available applications for security issues and API compliance such that they won't use my resources (battery, data) in unexpected ways', then I think you can expect someone else to do that.
Certainly I could use the device without that service, but then I would have to do it myself - as I do with other platforms.
I think the OP wants a smartphone, not only a phone.
> Why own a smartphone, then?
> Why pay $700 for stuff you won't even use?
I use it for calls, music, podcasts, mapping, email, browsing the web, calendars, messaging, weather, banking, and occasional light gaming. My smartphone is an utterly indispensable part of daily life.
Why pay $700 for stuff you won't even use?