It's most definitely not a coincidence, and not using Google doesn't really address the problem either. Just about every single app has some ad library API built into it - you are being tracked and monitored in numerous ways if you have a smart phone, it's just a fact of modern life. No way around it besides going back to an old school flip phone.

I noticed this a few years ago. My wife and others thought I was imagining it.

They don’t think that any more!

Countless times we’ve discussed a subject (just talked about it, not googled it or anything else), then very shortly after ads on that exact subject start popping up on my devices. It’s so specific and so quick, no one denies it now.

One (to me) crazy example. My wife and I were discussing a local hospital, I said it has an ok but not great heart clinic. Later that day an ad from that hospital popped up on my iPad, the ad said how great their heart program is.

And, I have all microphones (that I can find) turned off. I’ve done my best, but there’s so many listening programs and devices (phones, computers, iPads, TVs etc) it’s a losing battle.

When you google something, yes I totally get that it’s tracked and you’re going to get specific ads etc. But I’m talking about instances where the subject was only discussed in a conversation.

This is common on my wife's phone, but not mine. I uninstalled the facebook app.

Whenever I have to get a new phone, the first thing I do is spend an hour or so deleting, uninstalling, and turning off permissions.

Same here... though I rarely get a new phone, I reset it "back to factory" on occassion and then do as you do... uninstalling, deleting, and disabling stuff ... and I never install apps, allow upgrades, or do any cloud stuff.

Nada ..... and I like it that way :)