PDF Reader 'GoodReader' Removes iCloud Drive Functions to Comply with 'Mandatory' Apple Policy [Updated]

MacRumors · Dec 31, 2014

PDF reader app GoodReader has removed a number of operations related to iCloud Drive to comply with Apple's guidelines. Specifically, developer Good.iWare has disabled GoodReader's ability to create and delete new folders inside iCloud along with the ability to move iCloud files. The developer called the iCloud usage policy "mandatory" and also included VoiceOver compatibility along with a big fix for opening iCloud containers.

Important iCloud functionality change:
- to ensure the compliance to Apple's iCloud usage policy, the following operations have been disabled: creation of new folders inside iCloud, deletion of folders inside iCloud, moving of files and folders inside iCloud.
We apologize for the inconvenience, but the iCloud usage policy is mandatory.

The changes to GoodReader come a week after Panic's file management app Transmit was forced to disable its send to iCloud Drive feature which also led to the removal of all Share Sheet file transfers to other third-party services. However, Apple later reversed its course on Transmit as the app reinstated its sending feature in an update shortly after.

While Apple introduced a number of new features with iOS 8, a number of developers have been forced to remove key features from their apps for reasons that are unclear. For instance, Notification Center widget Launcher was removed after the launch of iOS 8 in September, and Apple has also asked apps like Drafts and Neato to remove widget functionality. Apple also asked calculator app PCalc to remove the calculator functionality from its Notification Center widget, but later reversed its decision.

GoodReader is a $4.99 download for the iPhone and iPad. [Direct Link]

Update: Apple has quickly reconsidered its decision and allowed GoodReader to restore iCloud Drive functionality with version 4.8.1.

Article Link: PDF Reader 'GoodReader' Removes iCloud Drive Functions to Comply with 'Mandatory' Apple Policy [Updated]

maflynn · Dec 31, 2014

Unbelievable, I think Apple goes out their way to annoy consumers and developers.

MacSlut · Dec 31, 2014

Not this again

Apple, forget it. You're just hell-bent on making iCloud as unusable as possible for no apparent reason. As much as I don't want to, I'm sticking with Dropbox.

dumastudetto · Dec 31, 2014

It's good to see this developer complying with requirements that ensure the security of all iOS users valuable data stored in iCloud.

I understand some people do value functionality over security, but for the vast majority of people iOS is the number one choice because Apple emphasises protection of security and privacy.

stuarty2003 · Dec 31, 2014

dumastudetto said:
It's good to see this developer complying with requirements that ensure the security of all iOS users valuable data stored in iCloud.

I understand some people do value functionality over security, but for the vast majority of people iOS is the number one choice because Apple emphasises protection of security and privacy.

Is that you, Phil Schiller?

p3ncil · Dec 31, 2014

1. Publish App
2. Apple rejects
3. Pull App, remove said functionally.
4. Go to press
5. Apple reverse
6. Restore said functionality.

Rogifan · Dec 31, 2014

I'll bet any money this is another decision that will be reversed once it gets attention and people complain about it.

Rene Ritchie is right. Apple needs an App Store VP who is responsible for all things apps - developer relations, app review, app editorial/promotion. And this person/team should NOT be part of the marketing organization!

fluchtpunkt · Dec 31, 2014

Doesn't matter, they will reverse that decision in one week.

dumastudetto said:
It's good to see this developer complying with requirements that ensure the security of all iOS users valuable data stored in iCloud.

Please tell us how GoodReader's features endanger the security of user data.

maflynn · Dec 31, 2014

MacSlut said:
Apple, forget it. You're just hell-bent on making iCloud as unusable as possible for no apparent reason. As much as I don't want to, I'm sticking with Dropbox.

That's inferring that it was usable at some point and from my perspective it hasn't. I've been an apple cloud user since they gave it away under iTools

Rogifan · Dec 31, 2014

p3ncil said:
1. Publish App
2. Apple rejects
3. Pull App, remove said functionally.
4. Go to press
5. Apple reverse
6. Restore said functionality.

7. Developers get more and more frustrated and start thinking Android might not be a bad idea

----------

stuarty2003 said:
Is that you, Phil Schiller?

I think Tim needs to offer Phil an early retirement.

maflynn · Dec 31, 2014

Rogifan said:
7. Developers get more and more frustrated and start thinking Android might not be a bad idea

That's the end result of their draconian rules. There's security and then there's just stupid rules that serve no one.

Zxxv · Dec 31, 2014

MacSlut said:
Apple, forget it. You're just hell-bent on making iCloud as unusable as possible for no apparent reason. As much as I don't want to, I'm sticking with Dropbox.

Dropbox is so good that at this point they could probably build a mobile phone/device outwards and it be a huge success.

fluchtpunkt · Dec 31, 2014

Zxxv said:
Dropbox is so good that at this point they could probably build a mobile phone/device outwards and it be a huge success.

Like the Facebook phone?

MisakixMikasa · Dec 31, 2014

dumastudetto said:
It's good to see this developer complying with requirements that ensure the security of all iOS users valuable data stored in iCloud.

I understand some people do value functionality over security, but for the vast majority of people iOS is the number one choice because Apple emphasises protection of security and privacy.

You sounds like Apple's PR. Maybe Tim can offer you a job in Apple's PR team.

grahamperrin · Dec 31, 2014

Context

We're in the midst of an transition period that may be unexpectedly long.

Consider, at least, this: Apples Software Quality Decline. Now, hands up: who wants Apple to rush transitions such as this?

dumastudetto said:
It's good to see this developer complying

+1

Also it's nice to have the developer not overtly complaining. Simply, that one bullet point that's quoted in the MacRumors article.

PowerBook-G5 · Dec 31, 2014

Glad that I just heard about this. I just had to dig the 4.7.0 version out of a Time Machine backup to be able to reinstall it on my iPad (I must have updated it without thinking to read the release notes).

I hate it when Apple does this. The app appeared to be doing just fine before this "Mandatory" policy went into effect.

Whenever a developer submits an update that I don't like (mainly for apps I use daily, such as GoodReader), I find the most recent version of said app that doesn't have the unwanted changes and save it to an external disk. That way if iTunes on my iPhone, iPad or MacBook "accidentally" updates the app, I have a copy to reinstall.

Rogifan · Dec 31, 2014

maflynn said:
That's the end result of their draconian rules. There's security and then there's just stupid rules that serve no one.

Marco Arment has been hitting Apple pretty hard over this stuff. I don't think the situation is as dire as he makes it out to be but somebody needs to light a fire under Cook/Apple. Arment places the blame squarely in Schiller's org. Ben Thompson wrote about this too. His take was there's new guard (Fedetighi/Ive) vs. old guard (Schiller) tensions. It sure seems like the software orgs are trying to push things forward and then marketing comes in and says "not so fast". Schiller's org is like Lucy with the football. What's sad is one does get the feeling there is a element within Apple that thinks it's ok to jerk around developers because they're not going to go anywhere else.

Zxxv · Dec 31, 2014

fluchtpunkt said:
Like the Facebook phone?

If you think Dropbox is like Facebook i suggest you see a doctor #

NOV · Dec 31, 2014

Zxxv said:
Dropbox is so good that at this point they could probably build a mobile phone/device outwards and it be a huge success.

If Dropbox only had a way to directly "understand" Pages and Numbers files, that's a big bummer to me at the moment (if you suddenly need to work in a Windows workplace and can not use the Dropbox app on your Mac). Other than that Dropbox is excellent.

pickaxe · Dec 31, 2014

Another recent example of Apple's disastrous App Store Team's misguided rules:

Reeder (Mac version) posted this remark on today's changelog:

"Had to remove to option to change the default RSS reader on OS X 10.10 Yosemite (not possible anymore for sandboxed apps)"

Rogifan · Dec 31, 2014

grahamperrin said:
We're in the midst of an transition period that may be unexpectedly long.

Consider, at least, this: Apples Software Quality Decline. Now, hands up: who wants Apple to rush transitions such as this?

+1

Also it's nice to have the developer not overtly complaining. Simply, that one bullet point that's quoted in the MacRumors article.

The problem is these things being approved (and in many cases promoted on the App Store) only to be rejected by app review after the fact. If Apple needs to go slow in order to ensure quality then why does this stuff get approved in the first place? I could see this having an impact on Watch development. If there is no clear poilicy inside Apple around extensions and widgets I can only imagine the confusion there will be around Watch apps.

till · Dec 31, 2014

Apple really doesn't want iCloud to be useful in any way. They're trying to hide or reinvent files and folders, but not actually replacing them with anything that works.

Jessica Lares · Dec 31, 2014

No excuse for this to be happening three months in. :/

And yes I used this feature.

Brian Y · Dec 31, 2014

till said:
Apple really doesn't want iCloud to be useful in any way. They're trying to hide or reinvent files and folders, but not actually replacing them with anything that works.

This is the impression I got. This is the biggest reason I now use Microsoft Office rather than iWork. Ms Office works with Dropbox, and works with dropbox properly. If i use iWork & iCloud, I have to ditch my organised folder structure and put all of my pages docs in one folder. Yeah, like thats gonna happen.

iCloud Drive is also the slowest thing I've ever tried to use.

GlenK · Dec 31, 2014

Still use DropBox. Kept trying iCloud drive but DB is still far superior for my needs.

PDF Reader 'GoodReader' Removes iCloud Drive Functions to Comply with 'Mandatory' Apple Policy [Updated]

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