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

[BvizioN]

Google are going to pay Apple $12 billion to be the default search in Safari this year; hardley the act of a company looking to "screw Apple over"
https://9to5mac.com/2018/09/28/google-paying-apple-9-billion-default-seach-engine/
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DuckDuckGo was founded in 2008; hardly a "new boy"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DuckDuckGo

Fair enough. I just have just started to read about them recently and actually, they are not too bad (apart from that awful name) Still would use Google though.

 

[manu chao]

I'm not sure Apple can win this game of chicken. People are hooked on Facebook and Google more than they are iPhones.

Sure, but Apple hasn't banned Facebook or Google from the App Store, it has only stopped both companies from using their internal employee-only apps. Unless that triggers Facebook or Google to unilaterally pull their apps from the App Store, the general population will not be affected.

 

[ackmondual]

Does this mean Apple will stop taking Google's money to be their default search engine?

 

[manu chao]

To be fair, Apple has facilitated a number of these unethical practices for some time. The fact that they changed their mind now is great but does not suddenly make them a beacon of ethical practices. Privacy and data protection are a marketing tool for Apple.

Are you criticising Apple for not always cracking down hard enough when others violated the App Store rules? Or for not having as tight a set of rules right from day one of the App Store?
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Does this mean Apple will stop taking Google's money to be their default search engine?

Did Google violate the agreement that put their search engine as the default on iOS?

There are multiple commercial agreements between Apple and Google:

1. Google is a developer of iOS apps and has signed in principle the same agreement as any other developer.
2. Google has been issued a corporate certificate that allows them to distribute apps outside the App Store for internal use only, something other companies also have.
3. Google has signed a deal on being the default search engine in Safari.
4. Most likely, Google also has a deal with Apple to purchase iPhones in bulk at a discounted price (as other large companies might have).

There is no clause in agreement (2) that would affect agreement (3) and vice versa. Think of a small developer that violates App Store guidelines. When it submits an app that violates App Store rules and manages to sneak it by app review and then gets caught later, the first step for Apple is to pull that app. If further offences are committed, Apple might eventually completely suspend the developer account. But it won't go right ahead and stop selling Apple products to that person.

 

[mi7chy]

Are you criticising Apple for not always cracking down hard enough when others violated the App Store rules?

Where does it say it was published on Apple App Store?

It's on Google Panel Research web site and is an opt-in app. It's clear now that Apple are abusing its power to distract from the FaceTime privacy breach.

https://panelresearch.google.com/about

Google Panel Research
Google, like many companies, partners with market research panels to help learn more about how people use mobile devices versus laptops, consume media, and use Google products. Our Panel Research program is conducted in partnership with other companies to help improve Google products and services.

Volunteers are recruited for these panels who agree to have their Internet activities measured, and are rewarded for their participation. Prior to participating, all panelists have a clear understanding and agreement with Google about what involvement in the panels means.

Occasionally, panelists are also offered the opportunity to provide feedback about their media and Internet consumption, and answer surveys about the technology devices, brands, and advertising they see in their daily lives.

 

[novakk86]

Something tells me you are wrong!! Not that they won't wipe Bing entirely but THE new boy in town duckduckgo is getting more attention and it is everything Googles search engine is not (privacy oriented) so yeah, I would not hold my breath if I was you.

Forgot about duck, been meaning to give em a try, hope they at least shake Googles monopoly a bit.

 

[manu chao]

Where does it say it was published on Apple App Store?

I was merely trying to guess what this phrase of yours was referring to:

"Apple has facilitated a number of these unethical practices for some time."

With this phrase you could have been referring to things Apple did in the 1990s or what Apple did two years ago. Which is why I posted two sentences with question marks to get clarification from you.

 

[Jago]

This ain't gonna end well for Apple.

That’s one way of misspelling ”Google”.

 

[mi7chy]

This ain't gonna end well for Apple.

When Amazon screwed Google, Google yanked its YouTube app which made Amazon devices nearly useless. Google should do the same to Apple to teach them a lesson for constantly throwing partners and suppliers under the bus. Without YouTube, Google Maps, Google Assistant, etc. iOS would be back to the stone age.

 

[novakk86]

When Amazon screwed Google, Google yanked its YouTube app which made Amazon devices nearly useless. Google should do the same to Apple to teach them a lesson for constantly throwing partners and suppliers under the bus. Without YouTube, Google Maps, Google Assistant, etc. iOS would be back to the stone age.

That's what I meant, MS suffered the same fate with Windows phone. Imagine how many would remain loyal to Apple if it lost fb, Instagram, whatsapp, Google search /maps, YouTube ...
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That’s one way of misspelling ”Google”.

You really think that the owner of #1 video service , #1 search, #1 email, #1maps, #1 mobile os is afraid of Apple?

 

[Michael Goff]

Lol - they just pulled a Qualcomm on google and Facebook. If you yourself are bullied, it’s only logical from the perspective of 3-year-old to bully someone else for satisfaction.

What a joke - I hope they know that Google doesn’t let itself be bullied. That’s going to backfire dramatically and will hurt Google (and Facebook) services on Android.

Honestly, if I were google, I’d immediately have pulled the plug on google search on all iOS devices. I’m sure Bing would serve the fanbois just fine.

I wouldn't, that would hurt Google monetarily. Now removing YouTube and denying iOS apps access to the API? That wouldn't hurt Google as much. And it would hurt the iPhone.

 

[justperry]

I appreciate Tim and Apple's stance on privacy. It is one of the major reasons I proudly use Apple products. In my opinion, Apple should not reinstate said companies. Both companies have shown time and time again that they cannot and should not be trusted. Apple should stick to their privacy guns and say enough is enough. Otherwise, it will look like Apple has gotten soft when big money is involved.

In essence I agree, but I think Apple should give them a stern warning this time, Apple should say if it happens again then your Enterprise Certificate will be revoked forever.

 

[Michael Goff]

When Amazon screwed Google, Google yanked its YouTube app which made Amazon devices nearly useless. Google should do the same to Apple to teach them a lesson for constantly throwing partners and suppliers under the bus. Without YouTube, Google Maps, Google Assistant, etc. iOS would be back to the stone age.

And you could even put something on those websites to make it slow on Safari if not stopping it from functioning at all. YouTube, for example, becomes VP9 and AV1 only.
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In essence I agree, but I think Apple should give them a stern warning this time, Apple should say if it happens again then your Enterprise Certificate will be revoked forever.

Apple will never do that because this is not a war anyone wins.

 

[justperry]

When Amazon screwed Google, Google yanked its YouTube app which made Amazon devices nearly useless. Google should do the same to Apple to teach them a lesson for constantly throwing partners and suppliers under the bus. Without YouTube, Google Maps, Google Assistant, etc. iOS would be back to the stone age.

I really don't get you, you know bloody well Apple didn't screw up, Google and Facebook did.

So, I am a thief, steal something from you, the police arrests you, similar to your view on this.

And you could even put something on those websites to make it slow on Safari if not stopping it from functioning at all. YouTube, for example, becomes VP9 and AV1 only.
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Apple will never do that because this is not a war anyone wins.

I know they won't, too much at stake, but doing it for a *day, then a week will show people how dirty these businesses work, they might try other options.

*The Media will jump on this if this happens.

 

[Michael Goff]

I really don't get you, you know bloody well Apple didn't screw up, Google and Facebook did.

So, I am a thief, steal something from you, the police arrests you, similar to your view on this.




I know they won't, too much at stake, but doing it for a *day, then a week will show people how dirty these businesses work, they might try other options.

*The Media will jump on this if this happens.

By businesses you mean that the media will jump on Apple for making these decisions? And let's not forget the App Store model is being questioned on a legal stage. So ... yeah.

 

[Abazigal]

When Amazon screwed Google, Google yanked its YouTube app which made Amazon devices nearly useless. Google should do the same to Apple to teach them a lesson for constantly throwing partners and suppliers under the bus. Without YouTube, Google Maps, Google Assistant, etc. iOS would be back to the stone age.

You really think that the owner of #1 video service , #1 search, #1 email, #1maps, #1 mobile os is afraid of Apple?

Google is still a profit maximising entity, and the reality is that ios remains a far more profitable platform compared to its own android ecosystem.

If google were to pull their services from Apple’s platform, they too would suffer in the form of lower revenue, and you can be sure their shareholders are going to have a field day over this.

If it’s a fight google wants, it’s a fight google will get. There is no possible scenario where google comes out of this on top.

 

[BlunaLuna]

Chapeau!
Thank you Apple for making that point. Quality isn't limited to hardware and software. Company ethics and company politics put into action are a critical factor.

 

[gnasher729]

This is a really bad headline. Apple revoke Google's cert for their shady app. Google used the same cert for their internal apps.

Google most like has _one_ enterprise certificate. Enterprise certificates are meant to be used for internal apps only, and Google signed a legally binding contract for that. When an enterprise certificate is used to install apps elsewhere, it is revoked. Normally that happens when someone gets an enterprise account with the sole purpose of distributing malware, or if a rogue employee steals the enterprise certificate and abuses it.

So yes, what will happen is that all the apps signed with your enterprise certificate will stop working. Apple can give them a new certificate, and they will have to re-build and re-distribute all their internal apps.
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Ok, so what’s the difference between Google and Facebook data mining and all the endless endless freemium apps on the App Store that data mine the hell out of everyone? Or is it the 30% cut Apple makes on those in app sales..??

They are apps on the App Store. Google's app was not on the App Store. It was distributed using a certificate that Google is only legally allowed to use for internal app distribution.

 

[HEK]

Can you help me understand how it feels to feel entitled to free labor from other people? I can't say I understand it .

Charge me for your app and don’t spy on me. Or give me supposed free app with spy strings attached. But give me a choice and don’t lie to me. And if you give me a switch to turn tracking off, don’t cheat by adding it in some other sneaky way.

Nothing is free, especially from huge companies that tell me it is. BIG hidden costs to being tracked. Not the least of which are lemmings that buy into it.

 

[justperry]

By businesses you mean that the media will jump on Apple for making these decisions? And let's not forget the App Store model is being questioned on a legal stage. So ... yeah.

No, Google & Facebook.

 

[Mike_Trivisonno]

Apple used to despise Google for many good reasons. Just ban all Google spyware from Apple devices. No one likes Google anyway.

 

[lilrush]

Lol Apple fell back quick

 

[HEK]

Any company who wages war with the Apple ecosystem wages war with me as a consumer.

I use Apple maps exclusively, don’t even have google maps installed on my iOS devices, and it’s staying that way.

In the end, it all comes down to leverage. Apple has the strength to stand up to foes like google and Facebook and this is precisely why I pay to use Apple devices. You are most definitely not going to see the same sort of oversight on android.

Same here. Google maps long gone and not missed. Google search replaced by DuckDuckGo as well.

 

[spazzcat]

I'm not sure Apple can win this game of chicken. People are hooked on Facebook and Google more than they are iPhones.

If Facebook and Google pulled their products, I would still own an iPhone, I would just not use Facebook or Google anymore.

 

[justperry]

Lol Apple fell back quick

Erm, bet Google was the one calling Apple...Please reinstate our certificate...pleassseeee