Apple Reinstates Epic Games EU Developer Account, Paving the Way for Alternative App Store

[wbeasley]

Why there cant be an EU OS:

Could Europe develop its own mobile operating system?

Despite the potential privacy benefits, any European mobile operating system would struggle to go mainstream.

thenextweb.com

 

[diamond.g]

and how do you section off adult content? kids will and do find ways around it.
some could argue that violent games are adult content already.

do you force Disney to add adult content?
sometimes a service can decide what they want to offer. you dont get to choose the shows on video streaming. someone else does based on data to sell subs.

how about alcohol? it's legal.
marijuana is legal some places. should the app store allow that too?

sometimes it is just easier for companies to say no... without judgement on you.

there are hardline countries where being gay or having sex before marriage is outlawed.
best not to let dating apps be used against the phone owner as evidence...

its another case of move to Android if thats what you want... you have the answer. vote with your wallets and move. its not that different to use. so no learning curve to operate.

Are you saying Apple couldn't do some form of age verification for things that are for mature audiences?

 

[j26]

Why there cant be an EU OS:

Could Europe develop its own mobile operating system?

Despite the potential privacy benefits, any European mobile operating system would struggle to go mainstream.

thenextweb.com

The EU doesn't want to create an OS. It's so far outside the remit of the Treaties that to even suggest it might want to is laughable.

All it wants to do is ensure that OS's that operate in Europe play fair.

 

[vakarpochui]

Why there cant be an EU OS:

Could Europe develop its own mobile operating system?

Despite the potential privacy benefits, any European mobile operating system would struggle to go mainstream.

thenextweb.com

For obvious reasons. It would fail to attract users. That ship has sailed.

 

[wbeasley]

The EU doesn't want to create an OS. It's so far outside the remit of the Treaties that to even suggest it might want to is laughable.

All it wants to do is ensure that OS's that operate in Europe play fair.

what better way then crate their own?

Russia and China did for computers...
Nothing like a state run and monitored spy OS dobbing you in.

the link i provided showed exactly why it wouldnt work.

the "play fair" is the part we are debating.
obviously even within the EU states dont always agree on thing like fair ... which is part of the reason UK left.

 

[vakarpochui]

The EU doesn't want to create an OS. It's so far outside the remit of the Treaties that to even suggest it might want to is laughable.

All it wants to do is ensure that OS's that operate in Europe play fair.

Hard to do when in reality EU itself doesn’t play fair.

 

[j26]

and how do you section off adult content? kids will and do find ways around it.
some could argue that violent games are adult content already.

So should Safari be locked down for adult content?

 

[j26]

what better way then crate their own?

Because it's not in its remit...
Stop thinking the EU is a State - it's more a trading agreement ++.
There are many in Europe who want it to be a State, but it's not there yet.

 

[j26]

Hard to do when in reality EU itself doesn’t play fair.

On certain aspects of the EU, I agree wholeheartedly.

 

[Nuno Lopes]

Why there cant be an EU OS:

Could Europe develop its own mobile operating system?

Despite the potential privacy benefits, any European mobile operating system would struggle to go mainstream.

thenextweb.com

Why there can't be an Apple group of countries with Apple only citizens?

....

The ultimate vertical integration. Who knows ... it's a mystery. If you desire such a thing so much as the means to solve all problems, no worries, I think tech is being built that might make this possible ... take brain implants for instance. People then will live way $afer.

 

[scorpio vega]

Just stating the obvious.
There's nothing behind that hate, no real arguments, no nothing, it's empty just like I suspected and you made it very clear.
And make no mistake it's clear for anybody here.
So yeah there's no point for me to reply, have your last word, it looks like you are "fanatical" about that 🤣

You are literally the only one who cares about MY THOUGHTS lol. You’ve literally been going on about this for pages now 🤷🏾‍♀️

I’m charmed, truly. I also still am unbothered.

Are you saying Apple couldn't do some form of age verification for things that are for mature audiences?

Sure they can buy then you’ll run into a ph situation. Ppl don’t always want to give out verifiable information to use certain sites or apps.

 

[cupcakes2000]

Sure they can buy then you’ll run into a ph situation. Ppl don’t always want to give out verifiable information to use certain sites or apps

That’s up to the people themselves. What is clear to many though is it’s not apples role to police it. Well - it can be, I don’t mind that they police it in fact, but they need to mitigate it by allowing apps to be installed outside of their AppStore, and ideally without their knowledge.

I can’t understand why people are so up in arms about that. Why on earth do people actively seek out and then champion to such extremes the monitoring of their devices and the suppression of what one can install on said devices?

 

[scorpio vega]

I can’t understand why people are so up in arms about that. Why on earth do people actively seek out and then champion to such extremes the monitoring of their devices and the suppression of what one can install on said devices?

The average consumer Doesn’t feel restrained. That only ones complaining are lagdroid users and the typical Mr user.

 

[cupcakes2000]

The average consumer Doesn’t feel restrained. That only ones complaining are lagdroid users and the typical Mr user.

I’m not sure it matters about ‘the average consumer’. What matters is ’the consumer’. There are plenty of them, and all have different needs. This is evidenced by Apple themselves adding things like e2e for iCloud and lockdown mode. Clearly not for everyone, clearly opt in. This AppStore situation is no different - some people need to securely install stuff away from potential monitoring by govs or Apple and whatnot.

The fact that Apple cares enough to build such extreme privacy modes into their OS, but won’t budge on something that has potential for them to lose some control or perhaps more so, some money, is telling.

Not seeing it is fine, not wanting to use it is also fine, but actively fighting against something that would be opt in and also potentially life saving is absurd.

 

[scorpio vega]

I’m not sure it matters about ‘the average consumer’. What matters is ’the consumer’. There are plenty of them, and all have different needs. This is evidenced by Apple themselves adding things like e2e for iCloud and lockdown mode. Clearly not for everyone, clearly opt in. This AppStore situation is no different - some people need to securely install stuff away from potential monitoring by govs or Apple and whatnot.

The fact that Apple cares enough to build such extreme privacy modes into their OS, but won’t budge on something that has potential for them to lose some control or perhaps more so, some money, is telling.

Not seeing it is fine, not wanting to use it is also fine, but actively fighting against something that would be opt in and also potentially life saving is absurd.

The average consumer is the majority. This only benefits rich corporate like Spotify and epic and a vocal minority. This has nothing to do with being for the ppl.

 

[M3gatron]

You are literally the only one who cares about MY THOUGHTS lol. You’ve literally been going on about this for pages now 🤷🏾‍♀️

I’m charmed, truly. I also still am unbothered.

🤣 🥱

 

[scorpio vega]

🤣 🥱

I agree.

 

[BaldiMac]

I was in a hurry when I wrote that and I’ll admit that it was somewhat sloppily worded.

Apple has a platform, iOS and initially Spotify and all other streaming services competed with one another on an even playing field. Then Apple released Apple Music, and with Apple Music Apple is able to leverage the fact that they are also the platform owner to create a competitive advantage over Spotify and other streaming services by putting in place rules that make it difficult for them to compete evenly.

Nope. You are rewriting history here. In reality, Apple came out with rules about IAP before it released Apple Music and then made it cheaper for Spotify to compete after Apple Music was released with the reader exemption.

While you obviously disagree with the idea that iOS is important enough to warrant require regulation, the EU disagrees, the EU and I believe iOS has become important enough to warrant regulation and treating it as a neutral platform on which all apps compete fairly.

Except I don't disagree. I absolutely believe that iOS should be regulated to some extent. Particularly around anti-steering rules and access to some hardware features. I think alternative browsers should be allowed.

However, I disagree with some specific rules in the DMA. And I disagree that the need for regulation means that Apple was doing anything wrong or illegal prior to the DMA. I also disagree with the need for alternative app stores.

Preventing competitors from communicating with their customers or selling them products/services in the most convenient way and place has got nothing to do with “investing” in a competitive advantage.

I agree with you. But that isn't what we were talking about.

The picture is very relevant. They both show the apps. One offers you the ability to use an add free service.
The simple fact of the enormous user interface friction that exist for a free Spotify user to upgrade to premium. Spotify wasn’t allowed to advertise any information to the user in anyway.

It's nothing but a distraction. We are both well aware of the rules around IAP.

And you are essentially saying that incited user friction have zero negative consequences and going against industry norms and experience.

No, I'm not. That's just a strawman that you have made up to make your argument easier.

 

[surferfb]

App Store WTF of the Week: DealMachine for Real Estate

Link to: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dealmachine-for-real-estate/id1136936300

daringfireball.net

To paraphrase Gruber, some foreshadowing of what our European friends have to look forward to:

Here’s a review from their App Store Listing:

NO CUSTOMER SUPPORT / ROUGH
Their annual plan is over a thousand dollars. I haven’t used their service in months. The renewal comes around, they charge me another thousand dollars. I reach out to get a refund, all I get is a robot.

But when you handle payments on your own, you handle refunds and subscription cancellations on your own too. Renewal reminders too. And if you don’t send renewal reminders, customers don’t get them. And if you don’t feel like issuing a refund for a $1,000/year subscription that a customer wanted to cancel but didn’t, you can let the customer sort it out with their credit card company

The EU is really looking out for consumers

 

[AppliedMicro]

To paraphrase Gruber, some foreshadowing of what our European friends have to look forward to:

The EU is really looking out for consumers

Internet shopping has been around for decades - and so have subscription services.

If you don’t like a service, don’t subscribe.

 

[ToyoCorollaGR]

Or… Apple received the assurances they wanted and a politician took credit.

Or you just want to so badly believe it you'll throw all logic out the door to defend Apple....

 

[ToyoCorollaGR]

i would argue Windows has become worse since Windows 7. It might look prettier but the changes to core apps, reducing features that users relied upon, and just moving stuff for no gain. i'm glad i only infrequently have to deal with it these days.

i had a hard disk fail on a Win 10 laptop. will have to change the SSD.
On Apple I could just external boot to a drive or connect and redownload the OS.
so far it seems i need to download an ISO disk and use a USB disk to set up.
Microsoft, it's 2024 already. even booting Windows normally takes forever compared to Mac. i guess there's too much legacy stuff to deal with...

It takes my PC less than 20 seconds to boot up 🙄

 

[wbeasley]

Why there can't be an Apple group of countries with Apple only citizens?

....

The ultimate vertical integration. Who knows ... it's a mystery. If you desire such a thing so much as the means to solve all problems, no worries, I think tech is being built that might make this possible ... take brain implants for instance. People then will live way $afer.

Wish there was something in that worth discussing…

It takes my PC less than 20 seconds to boot up 🙄

yeah but my mac is usually instant unless fully off for a while and even then it's pretty quick... it's 2024. surely Windows should be like an iPad fast by now.

 

[wbeasley]

Internet shopping has been around for decades - and so have subscription services.

If you don’t like a service, don’t subscribe.

if you dont like In App Purchase commissions, dont use them LOL

 

[wbeasley]

It takes my PC less than 20 seconds to boot up 🙄

a ten year old Macbook Air boots lightning fast compared to a Windows one of the same age.
if you can find a Windows laptop that still boots at all...