You apparently don't understand how that actually works on Apple devices. if you choose to use the cloud, which you don't have to do, by the way, your data is encrypted with the key from your device. Apple doesn't have the key to decrypt it. To them it's just a big blob of data. The feral government is kinda pissed about that and is making quite a bit of noise about it. You see, Apple has implemented the crypto correctly. You control the keys, they just hold the data, if you choose to use their 'cloud'. They can't even recover the keys if they have physical posession of the phone if they don't know your password. There has been a bit of news of late about some android encryption implementations that have not been quite as robust. Crypto done properly is not simple, so Microsoft, and others have had issues with it, as has Apple in the past. With recent releases of their OS, that's not the case.
As has been stated here and elsewhere many, many times, Microsoft simply doesn't do cryptography well at all. I think it comes from the mindset they seem to have where they are a bit confused as to exactly whose data it is in the first place. Seems to me that they believe it is somehow theirs. Google seems be largely the same, but that's just my opinion. I haven't really looked at google's stuff too much. I have an android device that I use as a book reader. I don't keep anything really important on it, but I really like it for the tool that it is.
I'm not really much of an Apple partisan, as I prefer Linux for my main computers, and I don't particularly care for their walled garden approach for my computing needs, but I respect when they do things right. I'll bang them when they screw up, but their implementation of cryptography is not one of those things.
Thank you for the correction - And I do remember articles of this nature, now that you mention it.
It still does not detract from the point - That novices should not be encrypting... That sh*t will indeed happen, that they will come to one like me, and I will get to tell them their drive is bricked and I can't help them.
Even in regard to backup - I would recommend the same thing. Back up raw files. Uncompressed. unencrypted. At least two backup chains. Storage is cheap. Data is priceless.
It's a different story if you have need of higher security - If your data is in fact sensitive - But if that is the case, then you should have the knowledge and discipline necessary to maintain encrypted things properly, before committing to encryption. It surely isn't for Joe User.
I'm not really much of an Apple partisan, as I prefer Linux for my main computers
Same here - Never have liked Apple's ecosystem... I prefer Linux - Though as a Residential/SOHO service tech, it is necessary for me to keep myself in Win/Office, so my main machines tend to be windows... One day I'll hang up my pocket protector, and I won't need samba anymore ; )
but I respect when they do things right. [...] their implementation of cryptography [...]
That's right - Thanks again for the correction.