I don't have ads on my phone or my desktop. Why should I settle for a shittier experience A? The fact that there is an even shittier experience B is no argument.

The only 'ads' I've seen from Apple have been the aforementioned iCloud invitation in Settings, there is also a prompt to sign up for iCloud when first setting up the system. That's an element of user choice - 'use our service, or don't, we won't ask twice'.

Unlike MS - you have to link everything with an ID when first setting up W11, no choice unless you go to extreme workarounds. Constant nagging and manipulation thereafter.

With that said, what platform are you using that has no ads at all? Presumably Linux on the desktop, which I can almost use. But unfortunately I can't use it on mobile, I have too many use cases in the personal and business world that require a 'normie' grade phone.

Not even Linux is safe. Ubuntu has displayed advertisements several times.

https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/13/canonical_ubuntu_ad

I simply use an Android build with Microg, and block ads and trackers at a system level (indeed run a firewall in whitelist mode).

Yes, Apple is slightly less bad than Windows. On the other hand, Linux doesn't have any ads (other than the silly ones Ubuntu is trying to push on the command line these days).

wait what.. holy moly: https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2022/10/ubuntu-pro-terminal-ad

Several times. https://www.theregister.com/2022/10/13/canonical_ubuntu_ad

Calling a onetime pop-up of a service offering an ad is stretching the description somewhat. Also, it's losing sight of the main argument - ads driven by gathering personal data is what causes concern.

Still worse than Linux. And that's one of the arguments against ads, the other one is that ads take up your attention.