Alternative iOS App Stores Only Work for 'Grace Period' When Traveling Outside of EU

[klasma]

Can anyone running Android actually confirm that DesiMunda's post is even slightly accurate, because I don't have an Android and never have, and so really wouldn't know what it's like!

I'm posting this from an Android tablet. DesiMunda has no idea what he's talking about.

 

[Abazigal]

Bravo Apple! If you don’t want alternative App Stores, just say! 😂

Apple has made their stance on this plain and clear, and I agree that the DMA is a bad piece of legislation that should not be rationalised or normalised.

 

[treacher]

Apple has been a large part of my life, and perhaps they will impress me again.

 

[klasma]

Actually, we didn't. It's just a bunch of politicians who did (and who aren't even elected by us).

The DMA was voted by the European Parliament, which is directly elected by the EU citizens. So look who you vote for, and what they voted for.

 

[j26]

Of course being "from" somewhere isn't enough to qualify so you can definitely argue, I think, that if you study abroad for a semester, say, EU laws won't apply during that period.

An Irish phone, paid for in Ireland, sold to an Irish resident, with an ongoing Irish phone plan, who retains Irish residency during the entire period.
We're in to residency law now, which usually only applies to the super rich (for tax purposes). Do you think Apple really factored that in to it's calculations?

 

[jlc1978]

They are desperately trying hard to do the absolute bare minimum. Pathetic.

That's all any company has to do.

The lack of ability to update apps while not in the EU is not good enough. It introduces a security hole, as security updates will be parked until the person returns to the EU.

This will affect tens of thousands of cross-border workers, and students like my daughter who is from Ireland, but goes to college in the UK. Ireland is not the only country with a land border with non-EU countries, or who imports/exports students. There will be many people adversely affected by this.

And this from a company that's supposed to be all in on security!

Simple solution: Don't install apps outside of the App Store if this is a serious enough problem for you.

Except they do, GDPR is an example of this.

Except it doesn't; unless you do business within the EU. The EU states that it only applies to those offering goods and services to the EU or who have EU based persons accessing their site; or if treaties or generally accepted laws apply. Once an EU citizen leaves the EU the GDPR doesn't apply since they are not in the EU; you can collect whatever local laws allow; unless a treaty states otherwise.

In Apple's case, since they are an EU entity as well, the EU could force them to change this policy.

 

[Neg4433]

Anyone else laughing at all the people claiming its security and not revenue?

Of course it's about revenue. 99$ fee per year for a developer account for all Apps even if they are non-profit. 299$ for enterprise and 30% cut from all sales. Even if I want to develop something for my own phone, I can keep my own App installed for a week and then I have to renew the certificate again and again or pay 99$ to have it for a year. People are just blindly defending a trillion dollar company.

 

[lomodr]

I think they are using more sophisticated methods than that, I think they use location services to determine your “ordinarily resident” location and then base it in that

Because 'privacy' right? Apple tracking you everywhere you go.

 

[scorpio vega]

I'm posting this from an Android tablet. DesiMunga has no idea what he's talking about.

I’ve used android since 2008 with the g1 and bet I’m far more knowledgeable about android than current android users, desimunga isn’t wrong.

Thankfully I realized how terrible android is and jumped off that bandwagon.

 

[iOS Geek]

The lack of ability to update apps while not in the EU is not good enough. It introduces a security hole, as security updates will be parked until the person returns to the EU.

This will affect tens of thousands of cross-border workers, and students like my daughter who is from Ireland, but goes to college in the UK. Ireland is not the only country with a land border with non-EU countries, or who imports/exports students. There will be many people adversely affected by this.

And this from a company that's supposed to be all in on security!

The irony of being supportive of side-loading but being upset about security holes. Side-loading ITSELF is a security hole.

 

[djphat2000]

This behaviour from Apple is making me consider not buying an iPhone when it's time to upgrade.

Good move.

 

[Neg4433]

The irony of being supportive of side-loading but being upset about security holes. Side-loading ITSELF is a security hole.

"Side-loading".. are you "Side-loading" software on your Mac? or are you keeping yourself locked into Apple's AppStore? So you are not installing Adobe's Software for example if it doesn't exist on the AppStore or JetBrain's or Microsoft IDEs right?

 

[j26]

Simple solution: Don't install apps outside of the App Store if this is a serious enough problem for you.

That's the point - if forces you to remain with the App Store if you value security, and as such, is anti-competitive.

 

[klasma]

Side-loading ITSELF is a security hole.

No, it’s not, unless Apple is incompetent in how they sandbox apps. They appear to be able to handle it for web apps.

 

[SatanGirl]

I hate google way too much for this to phase me. But yeah objectively speaking Apple is just a bit lesser evil, maybe even a sidegrade evil. Vanilla evil vs chocolate evil.

I’d sooner get a dumb phone than google one though cause I hate chocolate

 

[elrojo69]

Things like this are a big reason I am considering an android phone. Apple has become the huge monopoly they originally sought to disrupt. You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain.

 

[Helmlein]

Let me see if I understand this...

1) if an EU user travels outside the EU, they lose access to their alternative App Store
2) if a non-EU user travels to the EU, they don't get access to the alternative App Store

Make it make sense

It will be really interesting to see how they'll make this one work.

Either, you're in the EU because your account is set to use an App Store in an EU country. But that would mean that you can also go to the US for 3w and keep your account/App Store (done that in the past, it worked in the past). This is what the article actually says.

But how would they know that you've left the EU, if they aren't using the location but only an "eligibility" flag? Also, what about people who choose not to use any of Apple's App Stores any more. Does "not using the location" actually mean that they use it anyway but don't transfer it to their cloud with every contact made?

Either way, if you then leave the EU for some time (and in DE or FR it's not uncommon that people leave for a 3w vacation), based on your location, you will lose access to some IOS features? Would you get them back upon return? What about apps someone bought from an alternative store which then loose the "connection" to (and updates from) the alternative store?

H.

 

[gleepskip]

Alternative stores are a great idea for freedom. Apple could decide to remove an app from their store because of their corporate opinion - they have done this before. If alternative stores exist, I could purchase that app elsewhere and run it on the device I own.

 

[jlc1978]

Because 'privacy' right? Apple tracking you everywhere you go.

There's a difference between a phone knowing your location and it's sharing it with everyone. Apple doesn't need to know your location for the phone to use location based services.

 

[psingh01]

EU laws don’t apply outside the EU it seems.

 

[MilaM]

The DMA was voted by the European Parliament, which is directly elected by the EU citizens. So look who you vote for, and what they voted for.

Not only that. Before it was agreed unanimously by all member states during negotiations in th Council of the European Union.

 

[iOS Geek]

"Side-loading".. are you "Side-loading" software on your Mac? or are you keeping yourself locked into Apple's AppStore? So you are not installing Adobe's Software for example if it doesn't exist on the AppStore or JetBrain's or Microsoft IDEs right?

I don’t, “side-load” on my Mac, actually. Nothing I do on my Mac at home necessitates an app that needs to come from a different source.

As for our Macs at work…we aren’t allowed to download from 3rd party sources AT ALL.

So no, I don’t side-load software onto my Mac.

 

[bzgnyc2]

They are desperately trying hard to do the absolute bare minimum. Pathetic.

Hopefully other countries force them to add alternative stores.

Bare minimum? Apple worked really hard to make things this complicated...

I understand why Apple wanted to contain this but they are seriously complicating and fragmenting their core platform...

People will blame the EU but it's Apple bringing this on themselves. As an adult you learn not to hurt yourself in order to hurt others. You always end up hurting yourself more.

 

[steve09090]

It doesn’t. But the EU can’t force their laws on your phone for a good reason- that would be horrible if you had to have your phone change to the host country’s laws every time you entered.

You do. Go to places like China, Vietnam or Saudi Arabia.

I agree. As long as the user was a EU resident when he signed the TOS, I don't see why the law should not apply, even during long stays outside.

As above. You can't circumvent a countries law just because you want to.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

This behaviour from Apple is making me consider not buying an iPhone when it's time to upgrade.

Right, the alternative is doing things the way that they’re supposed to be done.

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