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Yeah because Apple is parenting them to be one, and that over years, this doesn't mean they are unable to learn.
It's about time to end this and enforce sideloading.
Again, the irony from someone advocating for a nanny state.
 
The App Store and Google Play Store are not analogus. They have very different purposes. To the consumer they seem like a store front but the different philosophy and business model of Apple vs Google shows they can’t be the same. (If these philosophies and models were the same, google wouldn’t have allowed side loading. But they do because it helps them to spy on their users.)

Google is set up for maximum intrusion into one’s private sphere.

I would imagine that the play store wouldn’t want to emphasize privacy in the apps because it would be pretty bad for their business model.

I don’t understand why this isn’t obvious to everyone but it’s extremely disappointing that it’s lost on our legislators.

LMAO!!!
You really need to do a bit of research on why side loading was built into Android.
You hear the rhetoric about Android and Google that you want discounting the facts.
 
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That’s what advertising is for. Take the savings you get by not needing to pay Apple’s huge cut and put some of it into advertising for your own product. Currently you pay Apple money that they can use at their sole discretion to advertise your competitor’s app if they want to.
@Orange Bat

The advertising in the App Store is abysmal. I usually find the apps I want or need via Google or a secondary site like Redditt or YouTube.
 
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iOS was created as an intentionally closed system right? And was then slightly opened through the App Store, a single doorway to the closed system which was heavily monitored by Apple, and explicitly so from day one.

Why now, that outside options exist, do people feel the need to say "things have changed" just because their closed system became such a popular option? Nothing's changed, just the size of the user base, and everyone involved is getting a piece of the action. No two pieces are identical, but as the old saying goes, life isn't fair. If you want a bigger piece, work for it; don't cry about something being unfair because someone got there first and laid the groundwork for you to make your fortune.

Feel that's the core problem nowadays. Everyone wants to make a buck, but few actually want to invest the time and resources into infrastructure. So when someone does that legwork, they immediately want to mooch off it as soon as it gets big enough and cry monopoly if they don't get their way.

When a company gets to the point it becomes a roadblock to both consumers and developers it either polices itself or it gets regulated. Apple decided on the latter.
 
If your company uses gsuite you won’t find your company going through that effort. More likely is they’d require your phone to be connected to their system and load it there. The downside is they can manage and monitor and control your device without your knowledge.
Never even heard of GSuite, (I have now though). Since I've been in employment, my view is that I've always advocated that a company should provide you with a phone if it's necessary for your work. Or failing that pay you extra and you can choose to buy phone number two.
I carry two phones and unless it's an emergency I don't mix the two. It's not much of a bind. Let them monitor your work device, there should be no issue with that.
 
Some people are incapable of forward thinking and can't imagine the inevitable path on which side loading goes from a choice to virtually mandatory once apps used by the masses like Instagram, Tik Tok or Google stop making their apps available in the App Store and make their apps only available to install via sideloading.

You can only resist for so long until an app comes around that you need for work or to fit in your social circle. Then the whole privacy and security deck of cards Apple built with the App Store comes crashing down. Why would any major app offer their app in the App Store with privacy and security protections if they have the chance to acquire all of your data?
Exactly, Apple sees the writing on the wall. It knows that, due to its high-handed behavior with some developers, they might be disinclined to continue with Appstore, provided a good alternative appears that values the developers more. In such a scenario, Apple might have to beg or incentivize the developers to publish their apps on the Appstore. How the tables have turned.
Oh! It will immediately lose 12 to 15 billion it gets from Google for making Google the default search engine. There is no point paying Apple money if users can change the default search engine, right?
 
You mean the Play Store that allows apps to collect data from their users and that is natively owned by Google, the world's largest data collector whose entire business relies on data collection?

Jesus... people here just keep confirming that walled gardens with curated experiences and built in protections need to exist to protect some folks from themselves. ??‍♂️

Don't want a walled garden? Go to Android. That's the choice.
Apple collects the same data as Google.
Apple uses the data for ads same as Google and after its so-called privacy changes, its ad business grew because the privacy changes were not for users but to deny others the data and only keep the data for themselves. I guess fanboys will be fanboys.
 
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Just do like the Mac and warn before side loading an app. You could even double secure it with a switch in settings to disallow side loaded apps at all. So you’d have to disable the switch, then you also get a warning when side loading. This puts it 100% into the consumer’s hands and takes Apple out of the picture. Apple could also disable certain APIs fro side loaded apps to keep it secure. Disallow a side loaded app from accessing Messages or Music or Contacts. That allows side loading while still maintaining a level of security. Could someone find a way to bypass that security? Sure. But that’s on the user, not Apple.
Disallowing APIs to third-party apps is not allowed by the DMA act of the EU (as far as I know). If Apple can access an API, it should be allowed for third-parties also. No more shenanigans. Apple brought it upon themselves due to their greed.
 
Mmhm, smart comment. It’s that simple.
Or make Apple do the right thing by forcing it to give the choice to the users, by legislation and hefty fines since that is the only language Apple understands. It is also a very simple concept, I guess.
 
They should make an official "alt store" and name it "Dirt Mall". It can be the wild west version of the app store, completely uncurated and allowed to run amuck, except it will actually be part of a larger App Store sandbox so that it doesn't create unnecessary security risks to users who choose not to use it. Publishers in the "Dirt Mall" will be charged hosting and download fees a la other cloud services.
Apple does not have a choice here. It is being forced to do what is right. You will see Facebook store, Google Store, Epic store, Steam store, and so on on iOS. I would rather download my bank app from the bank website than the Appstore which has 2% of their top 1000 apps that are scams.
 
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If you want to sideload apps to your hearts content, but an Android phone. Simple.

Or Apple could bite the bullet and allow it BUT mark your phone as untrustworthy and stop interactions with other Apple phones.

Has anyone read a software agreement lately?
We all click yes and move on but wasnt it always a clause that you only held a limited licence to use the software rather than owned it?

You buy the hardware and own that.
The software comes for free if you agree to the terms.

Sideloading breaks those terms. So you can load whatever system you can get your hands on.

People used to do this years ago to load apps.
It was a challenge but think the novelty wore off. For most people it was too much effort.
 
I thought about it for 1 second…it is about maintaining privacy and security, the user having control over ones data.

This bill for side-loading is probably spurred by Google, Facebook, et al lobbyists. They need your data. Mark Zuckerberg needs more cash to buy the rest of the Hawaiian island he has a compound on.

For Apple users, apps should go through Apple. Say ?? or ??to side-loading.
They (Google, Facebook, etc.,) are the ones that are most affected by this bill.
 
Or make Apple do the right thing by forcing it to give the choice to the users, by legislation and hefty fines since that is the only language Apple understands. It is also a very simple concept, I guess.
My comment was sarcastic and not at all in defense of Apple. Edited for clarity.
 
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It's pretty obvious some people are hard-wired to parrot Apple's talking points no matter what.

It's also quite obvious that the success of Apple's macOS App Store pretty completely undermines most of the "slippery slope" arguments being made by the fanboys... or by Apple itself.
 
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I’m a small app developed. I won’t leave the App Store if Apple allows side loading. I may put out a version of my app for side loading, but I imagine that my app will still get a vast majority of its downloads from the App Store. The largest developers may leave the App Store, but smaller developers will stay. The benefit of the App Store is that it allows an easy way for users to discover my app. Without it, my app would probably get zero downloads. Just like the Play Store, the App Store would stay relevant, even with side loading.
But would you publish your app if, let us say hypothetically, Google (or Elon Musk) put an Appstore and tell you that they would host your App for free and also make it more discoverable if you give them exclusivity. Would you pull out of Appstore in such a case?
 
It is a choice.
With the articles, advertising, and other avenues Apple is pursuing, people are being educated like it or not.
To your point people don’t know. Until it is thrust on them.

In the end, this has not become a major Android issue so I really don’t see it being an iOS issue either.

JMO
Well, it’s a bit more complicated than that. Sure, Apple raises awareness but how many percent of users actually curb their behavior as a result? I can tell you with certainty not many. I say this as someone who works in research and consumer behavior analysis field. People aren’t very good at doing anything that causes inconvenience to them. Clicking “ask apps not to track” button has been effective due to its minimal impact on user’s experience. Do people take additional steps to further protect their privacy? The answer is no. Facebook deals with scandals in daily basis but yet, their business is booming. That wouldn’t be the case if people stopped the engagement with the app.

And not sure what makes you think this wasn’t a major issue for Android but it actually is and there are countless examples I can list here. The fact that people don’t take action only proves that none of these issues are enough for people to care. Sideloading is the ONLY natively supported feature on Android that is not covered under Google’s warranty. Google is actively discouraging people from doing it and in some cases, it makes examples out of high profile issues such as malware and spyware that infected millions of Fortnite users few years back for sideloaders. 75% of all malware is designed for Android and people get affected by it in regular basis. Majority of these people aren’t even aware their sensitive information is being sold in black market. So what does Google do about any of this? Not much…

People who prioritize privacy over convenience are in the minority. Sometimes it’s actually very irritating to try to protect your privacy all the time. I use VPN for example. Some websites simply won’t work until I turn VPN off. Some apps won’t load or work properly if I have the VPN on. Other websites will make it very difficult to opt out of cookies. Some require to write emails to unsubscribe and never actually goes through. Even Wireless printers won’t work if I don’t allow them every access possible regardless how unnecessary it may be.

Simply put, don’t assume awareness campaigns produce the desired results. And certainly don’t assume this isn’t an issue for Android. It is. It’s just not publicized in a way that would make people change their behavior. That’s what the research point to and it won’t change anytime soon if the politicians try to pass laws that further adds to the problem however inadvertently it may be.
 
Yeah because Apple is parenting them to be one, and that over years, this doesn't mean they are unable to learn.
It's about time to end this and enforce sideloading.
just like Windows where nothing goes without antivirus and such? really want something similar?
My concern is that once "side loading" were to become open, the Facebooks, TikTok and such will remove their apps from the App Store and offer "better" features y just clicking on this button, and boom, privacy gone, ads left and right and so on. While I am capable of that decision - 95+% of users can't ...

"It's about time to end this and enforce sideloading" - for who's benefit? someone "pro-side loading" here on MR stated that <1% of Android users actually use side loading today. So, who's the beneficiary of side loading? The average consumer? hardly ... give me some reasons why the average consumer needs side loading.
 
But would you publish your app if, let us say hypothetically, Google (or Elon Musk) put an Appstore and tell you that they would host your App for free and also make it more discoverable if you give them exclusivity. Would you pull out of Appstore in such a case?
That’s a lot of hypotheticals that won’t ever happen. First of all, nobody does anything for free. Second, Google already has a store and they call it Google Play Store. They take cut out of every transaction since nothing runs for free. If Elon Musk said such thing, I would laugh and add it to the list of things that he said and never delivered. What happened to his Tesla ventilators, solar roofs and countless other things??? Yes, exactly.

I will eat my words if either Google or Elon Musk decides to be the most profitable charities in the world. Hypotheticals don’t pay bills, my friend.
 
I don’t think most users will sideload anyways. They are used to the App Store and it’s a lot of marketing needed to make your app visible outside of the App Store. Also show a prompt that the app was sideloaded and might be a security issue. Stop Apple Care, as soon as someone downloaded an app outside the App Store.
 
just like Windows where nothing goes without antivirus and such? really want something similar?
My concern is that once "side loading" were to become open, the Facebooks, TikTok and such will remove their apps from the App Store and offer "better" features y just clicking on this button, and boom, privacy gone, ads left and right and so on. While I am capable of that decision - 95+% of users can't ...

"It's about time to end this and enforce sideloading" - for who's benefit? someone "pro-side loading" here on MR stated that <1% of Android users actually use side loading today. So, who's the beneficiary of side loading? The average consumer? hardly ... give me some reasons why the average consumer needs side loading.
Talking about Antivirus, you know that macOS and probably iOS too scans for malware behind the scenes. Meanwhile the build-in Windows AV is good enough and very resource friendly. But yes freedom includes installing an alternative AV if you wish so, freedom also includes getting a Virus on purpose if you wish so.

Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and privacy ?, who the heck uses that crap without knowing that it’s kind of shady, even my parents with nearly 80ys knows that.
But it’s the right of these corps to become shadier, as it’s our to stop using such services and sue them, and the states right to control them by laws. Anyway here in the EU new laws will take care of this, Digital Markets Act + Digital Services Act + Data Act, three things pulling the same rope.
 
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Your M1 experience proves my thesis. It’s crap because of sideloading. Because of sideloading the Mac App Store is empty.

Apple would have to abandon fees and privacy rules for devs to offer apps there.

It may differ by slight degree but to get high participation from devs in the App Store once sideloading becomes possible means the App Store will more or less mirror the sideloading stores by dropping fees and standards.
I don’t give ? for Apples AppStore, it exists solely for gatekeeping and to secure the money flow filling Apples pocket by doing nothing fancy. The world worked fine for many years without any enforced AppStores. Anyway, AppStores can coexist wonderfully, look at Windows, Steam, GOG, WinStore, EpicStore.

It’s the devs right to move elsewhere…

Btw. Even Apple sideload on macOS, e.g. Xcode command line tools
 
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Some people are incapable of forward thinking and can't imagine the inevitable path on which side loading goes from a choice to virtually mandatory once apps used by the masses like Instagram, Tik Tok or Google stop making their apps available in the App Store and make their apps only available to install via sideloading.
To be sincere on Android, which enables side-loading, those apps are available on the Play Store.
 
I have a feeling the revised bill will have far less impact than side-loading supports would like to achieve. Also, Apple can always make side-loading functionally useless without banning side-loading. And side-loading on Google doesn’t stop companies publishing apps on play store anyways, so what’s the point? At the end of the day, bottom line is what matters for Apple no matter how hard they try to hide from the public.
 
Well, with sideloading the iPad might finally become a computer alternative ?

Little Snitch Firewall
Decent shell with something like iTerm
Brew.sh for iOS, iPadOS
Decent mouse cursor with an Arrow
Decent browser with a different engine

I’m looking forward to sideload Apps that fixes Apples development stupidities.
 
I have a feeling the revised bill will have far less impact than side-loading supports would like to achieve. Also, Apple can always make side-loading functionally useless without banning side-loading. And side-loading on Google doesn’t stop companies publishing apps on play store anyways, so what’s the point? At the end of the day, bottom line is what matters for Apple no matter how hard they try to hide from the public.
Well, Apple will have to take the common denominator route of all these international laws.

It would become too time consuming, expensive and too hard to maintain if Apple try to separate all these laws requirements per country. The US bill will positively affect the EU, so will the EU Acts positively affect the US. Just like the SouthKorea requirements affected the US and rest of EU.

All these countries are pulling more or less on the same rope, and it will end good for consumers and developers.
 
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