Have you verified that the browser actually phones home via network sniffing? If they have in fact successfully used that commit to remove all cases of phoning home, than it is an unfortunate oversight in the commit history of a browser that still doesn't ever phone home, and in practical terms, nothing more. If the code paths can not be reached, they can not be reached.
Before somebody hops up, yes, I am as aware as the next guy that today's "path that can't be reached" is tomorrow's path that can, and yes, of course outright removal would be better. It's absolutely fair to raise an eyebrow and ask sharp, pointy questions under the circumstances. But it's not fair to say a browser "phones home" if in fact it doesn't.
Before somebody hops up, yes, I am as aware as the next guy that today's "path that can't be reached" is tomorrow's path that can, and yes, of course outright removal would be better. It's absolutely fair to raise an eyebrow and ask sharp, pointy questions under the circumstances. But it's not fair to say a browser "phones home" if in fact it doesn't.