I think as long as you don't install the app these buds need, they will act as normal Bluetooth headphones.
Of course this assumes that these buds are of a different brand from your phone. Buying from the same brand (ecosystem) defeats this point.
this post was submitted on 22 Feb 2025
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Privacy
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Another thing to think about which took me a bit: any BT is bad for privacy. So, we have to be cautious of when we use it. Something I used to do is drive to Target and throw my earbuds in to listen to a podcast while I shop. Having BT enabled anywhere near any of these places is not best privacy practice. They use the protocol to identify and track. So, basically, buy your buds from a smaller distributor and pay attention to when you have it enabled on your phone.
Not sure why you’re getting downvoted, because you’re not wrong. I guess you could have been a bit be more clear. A lot of shops use radio signal tracking (e.g. bluetooth, wifi) to track your physical location in the store.
Even without the apps mentioned in the article, the store can see a bluetooth device with a unique identifier (Bluetooth MAC address of your phone), walking through specific isles and how long you stand still at a section.
For best privacy: use wired headphones and put your phone in airplane mode