Apple Shuts Down All of Google's Internal Apps for Abusing Enterprise Certificate [Updated]

[cjake]

Do you know what happens if they don't reinstate? All Google and Facebook employees will be forced to use Android. No one will quit their job bc their work phone isn't an iPhone.

Google will need a new Enterprise Developer certificate from Apple before internal employees can test new versions of existing iOS Apps. If employees can't test, then either the updates won't make it to consumers or the updated versions could have errors.

Google may use a development kit that builds both Android and iOS App binaries from a single source, but they still need to test updates to the iOS App as well as to the Android version.

 

[pat500000]

It's a bit more nuanced than this, but I agree in general Apple has the ability to manage their app developers' terms of service
[doublepost=1548973932][/doublepost]
Watch Google disable GMail clients connected via iPhone.

Apple can't go to customers and be like "hey, remember how you spent $1000 on your iPhone? Guess what, it can't use your gmail account you have had since 2008". That would be really, really bad.

It’s not like they can’t use their own computer to access.

 

[apolloa]

This has nothing to do with data mining. This is about Facebook and Google letting consumers use apps on a platform that is designed for internal use only. I feel like the people writing these articles are doing a huge disservice by not explaining the issue correctly.

Thank you. Can you explain a bit further? And yes, the article writer didn’t explain it at all really.
What internal platform? Internal as in employees of google and Facebook?

 

[Michael Goff]

Tim you absolute madman
[doublepost=1548971953][/doublepost]
They can update their consumer facing apps... they just can’t distribute apps internally any more (outside of the App Store/TestFlight)

Thanks for correcting me. I was mad wrong.

Okay buddy. People care SO much more about using apps that have been found to be sneakily trying to not only gather data under false pretenses, but ALSO are put out by companies that appear to be lying when they sign a contract that they will instead run away from a platform that is overtly working to protect their privacy. Good luck betting on that one.

There are more Facebook users year over year. Sorry, people don't care about privacy.

Google can most likely still update them, because they should have a separate account for enterprise use and external use. Only the enterprise-use account got disabled/revoked.
[doublepost=1548972523][/doublepost]

This does not affect the App Store releases; this only affects internal operations at Google and Facebook.

Isn't the problem that they were using the same certificate?

LOL

Laugh if you want .
[doublepost=1548977790][/doublepost]

They can update them. Enterprise accounts are separate from itunesconnect -- the OP's apps will not be affected.
[doublepost=1548976978][/doublepost]
Internal apps, not consumer apps.

I was under the impression that they were using the Enterprise certificate for both .

 

[falainber]

I don't quite understand what Apple problem here is. Facebook and Google have a need to offer an app to selected customers for a specific purpose (like research). They can't do it via AppStore (open for all). It's between them and their customers. Enterprise certificate seems like the right way to go. Why does Apple have any say in it? This just makes iOS uncompetitive. Nobody gets abused in this case (both companies clearly explain to the customers what the app is for and what it is doing).

 

[Michael Goff]

I don't quite understand what Apple problem here is. Facebook and Google have a need to offer an app to selected customers for a specific purpose (like research). They can't do it via AppStore (open for all). It's between them and their customers. Enterprise certificate seems like the right way to go. Why does Apple have any say in it? This just makes iOS uncompetitive. Nobody gets abused in this case (both companies clearly explain to the customers what the app is for and what it is doing).

Apple has rules and needs to apply them evenly. Enterprise Certificate is for internal use only. External testing is what Test flight is for.

 

[JRobinsonJr]

Apple is on a roll. ... I am glad Apple is really committed to the privacy protections for its customers ... Data collection is just too much out of control.

I'm in agreement, but this scenario is a bit different. Focusing on Google and ignoring (for a moment) that the external app users probably didn't read/understand the T&C's of the data collection app, it is not at all unreasonably for Google (or FaceBook) to PAY people to use an app with the understanding that the app is collecting usage data. If the customer is willing to trade privacy for cash, good for them! If they're not, that works too. Either way the customer is (theoretically) in control.

I'm all for Apple to disallow these in the App Store, and provide certificates so that companies can roll their own apps. It's also reasonable for Apple to smack down any company using their internal certificates for externally available apps. That is (very likely) specifically prohibited in the contract.

So, "how can Google create and publish such an app while following Apples rules?" Right now it appears that the answer is that there is no way to do this.

The underlying question, then, is "should there be a way to do this?"

I can make a good case either way.

 

[brofkand]

This does not affect the App Store releases; this only affects internal operations at Google and Facebook.

I'm aware. But how long until Facebook and/or Google decide to deprioritize iOS apps or features to prove a point? It's definitely FUD at this point I grant, but still...Apple is kind of opening pandora's box.

I already don’t use Facebook, and I will excise my phone of all google influences if push comes to shove. This is precisely what I pay Apple to do, and these companies will have to learn to play by Apple’s rules of not play at all.

Proud of you. I would say that you and I are some of the few. Facebook has nearly 2 BILLION users. Imagine if Facebook deprioritized iOS because of this. It's FUD at this point but you never know.

This isn't a game of chicken. This is Apple telling Google and Facebook, and everyone else by example, to stop abusing their enterprise certificates to bypass privacy rules.

I'm aware.

Internal apps, not consumer apps.

I'm aware.

 

[AustinIllini]

It’s not like they can’t use their own computer to access.

Good luck getting anyone to use your device without gmail.

 

[Michael Goff]

Good luck getting anyone to use your device without gmail.

And YouTube. Can't forget about YouTube.

 

[pat500000]

Good luck getting anyone to use your device without gmail.

There are alternative email service than “gmail.”

 

[Michael Goff]

There are alternative email service than “gmail.”

Yeah. But what service do you think normal people use?

 

[AustinIllini]

There are alternative email service than “gmail.”

But none as good as gmail. I'm picturing Schiller onstage saying "Why are we having our customers switch from gmail to use iPhone? Courage."

 

[zorinlynx]

I don't quite understand what Apple problem here is. Facebook and Google have a need to offer an app to selected customers for a specific purpose (like research). They can't do it via AppStore (open for all). It's between them and their customers. Enterprise certificate seems like the right way to go. Why does Apple have any say in it? This just makes iOS uncompetitive. Nobody gets abused in this case (both companies clearly explain to the customers what the app is for and what it is doing).

They can easily do this in the app store and keep it limited to a select audience. Look at banking apps; anyone can download one but unless you are a customer at that bank, the app is useless.

The reason they used the enterprise cert is because they wanted to do something against app store rules (collect information about the phone's general usage).

I don't agree with all the app store's rules (I think emulators for retro-hardware should be allowed for instance) but I do agree with this one. Apple is protecting user privacy here.

 

[burgman]

just a scary reminder that Apple can flip a switch and the whole works can come tumbling down. Reason enough not to be totally dependent on them.

So can your power company, or ISP, or Google, or Amazon especially Amazon services since most companies use them now.

 

[ulyssesric]

Holy crap. F**k these shady social medias.
I wonder who'd be the next. Twitter ? Instagram ?

 

[coolfactor]

Forgive me as I don’t understand all of that, so I have a question.

Will my gmail app stop working? What about google photos? As of now, they are working.

Companies can obtain a "certificate" to allow apps to be used across the entire company, by all staff, without each staff having to purchase that app individually. Essentially, it's a company-wide license, instead of a personal license.

Both Facebook and Google were using these company-wide licenses to authenticate an app that they used for data collection outside of their staff. They were providing these apps to the general public. That's a violation of the terms.

Apps that you download do not use these company-wide certificates. You have your own personal license when you download the app.
[doublepost=1548982615][/doublepost]

But none as good as gmail. I'm picturing Schiller onstage saying "Why are we having our customers switch from gmail to use iPhone? Courage."

You seem to be anti-Apple and pro-Google. Your bias blinds you from reality. There are many good email providers out there aside from Gmail. That's the truth.

 

[prasand]

Bad because I'm not sure I'm comfortable with Apple having this much control over other large companies.

Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Intel, IBM, Oracle, and others have way more control over large companies than Apple. iOS makes up a small percentage of their infrastructure, whereas Google, Amazon (AWS), and Microsoft are actually much larger, have been in the enterprise game much longer, and more intimately. Amazon is so large that even Apple uses their servers (Apple also uses Microsoft’s cloud servers).

In comparison Apple is much smaller, they just collect more profit for their relative size. Just the same as, people like to claim that they go with Android to “be different”, but Android is significantly more common than iOS. If one wants to actually be different, then they’d go with iOS. If they want to be like literally more than 80% of the world, they’ll go with Android.

Apple is only larger as a company in profit and social / market influence. Otherwise, they are very small in comparison. Apple is basically a very tough Shih Tzu playing with a bunch of bulldogs. Regardless of what anyone wants to subject about Apple’s cash horde, statistically it’s a fact Apple is the underdog. Compare any global metric outside of money in any of Apple’s product categories and see the reality.

 

[AustinIllini]

You seem to be anti-Apple and pro-Google. Your bias blinds you from reality. There are many good email providers out there aside from Gmail. That's the truth.

Pot, meet kettle

 

[iAVERY]

what is the apple alternative for youtube?

I personally use freetube. You can get it off of github. Strips away googles ability to track you and you still get subscriptions locally and everything.

 

[Diazepam]

I bought Quaker Oats the other day, and its all I’m seeing on my Facebook Feed and TV commercials.

LOL'z

 

[HEK]

View attachment 819327

Oh my god, the Donald between tweets LMAO
Look at the hair! And the tweeting claws.
Sorry back to bashing google, I just couldn’t resist.
[doublepost=1548983831][/doublepost]

if facebook pulled their app and google pulled their apps, people would leave the iPhone. It would be bad for apple if these companies can't play nicely.

Not me, I stopped using them some time back. Life seems to go on just fine without Facebook and Google. Who knew?

 

[prasand]

Not me, I stopped using them some time back. Life seems to go on just fine without Facebook and Google. Who knew?

They are deluded. People don’t really buy iPhones for Facebook or Google apps. If they care that much about the latter they get an Android device. If FB pulled its app, people would just use the website.

Only Instagram might have that level of influence but that is not yet integrated with FB (though FB is making moves for that to become a reality). For now, IG is still a separate matter.

 

[Michael Goff]

I personally use freetube. You can get it off of github. Strips away googles ability to track you and you still get subscriptions locally and everything.

So you use Youtube, just without doing anything to pay for it. Aren't you cool?

 

[PlainBelliedSneetch]

Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Intel, IBM, Oracle, and others have way more control over large companies than Apple. iOS makes up a small percentage of their infrastructure, whereas Google, Amazon (AWS), and Microsoft are actually much larger, have been in the enterprise game much longer, and more intimately. Amazon is so large that even Apple uses their servers (Apple also uses Microsoft’s cloud servers).

In comparison Apple is much smaller, they just collect more profit for their relative size. Just the same as, people like to claim that they go with Android to “be different”, but Android is significantly more common than iOS. If one wants to actually be different, then they’d go with iOS. If they want to be like literally more than 80% of the world, they’ll go with Android.

Apple is only larger as a company in profit and social / market influence. Otherwise, they are very small in comparison. Apple is basically a very tough Shih Tzu playing with a bunch of bulldogs. Regardless of what anyone wants to subject about Apple’s cash horde, statistically it’s a fact Apple is the underdog. Compare any global metric outside of money in any of Apple’s product categories and see the reality.

I wouldn’t exactly consider Apple small. 132k employees and more revenue than the companies you mention.