Apple's Phil Schiller Discusses Risks of Alternative App Stores on iPhone

[deepspacecowboy]

What a blowhard. Phil is such a dolt. The only thing Apple is worried about is protecting their services revenue stream. Unit sales are clearly down across all product lines. Profits and gross margins continue to grow, however, which means they're squeezing even more out of their existing customers versus bringing new customers into the fold. Services is the one bright spot quarter after quarter, so they wind Phil up and let him spin his lies whenever that revenue stream is threatened.

Objectionable content? Since when are you my nanny, Apple? The only thing Apple loves more than money is censorship. The safety argument is total bull as well. The Mac isn't awash in malware.

 

[Mr. Jenkins]

Well anything in life is a risk but if I want to jump out of a plane or install some 3rd party app, that’s my decision to make.

Next

*Putting on my devil's advocate hat* You also know what you're buying into. You don't buy a ticket with Delta Airlines and also expect them to let you jump out of the plane if wanted to jump out of the plane.

 

[Radon87000]

I really don't get what the big deal is. MacOS, Windows and Android have been able to do this since decades. EU is just forcing iOS to be in line with every other OS in the world.

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Pure propaganda

 

[supergt]

This is why I jailbreak all of my Apple devices when possible.

Phil can go pound sand. I own it, I control it.

 

[klasma]

I’m not american, but I’m all about freedom (who wouldn’t), and obviously I’m against the DMA. An act that forces people to design products the way the EU likes is not freedom.

“Freedom” is not just letting everyone do what they want; breaking into someone else’s house is not freedom. Apple creates a product with a defined set of features and conditions; many customers gladly (or not) accept that and buy it, in a completely consensual deal. That’s freedom.

Freedom is a balance. Too much freedom for one party encroaches on the freedoms of other parties. There is a power imbalance between big tech companies on the one hand and regular users, as well as app developers, on the other hand. If Apple and Google decide to do things one way, there’s nothing their users can do. Giving the big companies the freedom to do so means restricting the freedom of their customers. This would be different if there were a dozen of smartphone ecosystems, but there is effectively a duopoly. Moreover, those companies have accumulated a technical and regulatory moat that has become virtually impossible for newcomer companies to compete with. The aim of the DMA is to strike a fairer power balance between market participants. Now, one may disagree about the details of what exactly is fair or not, but it’s hard to deny that there is a significant power imbalance that favors the big tech companies.

 

[cupcakes2000]

I remember when technology was actually made by enthusiasts for enthusiasts. It's sad seeing so many people here paralyzed by fear begging Apple to protect them from the big scary world that Apple tells them is out there.

Yep, even apple, once.

That said, I believe in free markets (a lot less regulation, not zero regulation) so Apple should be free to do as they wish with their products. If people really wanted 3rd party stores, and that was a huge deal, they’d be buying Android or another competitor would be giving Apple a run for their money by offering a smartphone with a dozen app stores. Clearly this isn’t an issue with most people. Let the markets choose the winners and losers.

But Apple doesn’t really allow a free market on iOS, so thats a bit of an oxymoron. Plenty of people buy Android. Way more than buy iOS. Some people want iOS, because it’s good, especially with Apples eco system and used with other devices, it’s secure, it’s not infected with google (the only other alternative like that is GrapheneOS.. which is excellent by the way). That’s why this needs this urgent regulation. Apple acting up like this is going to do them WAY more harm than good.

 

[cupcakes2000]

but I’m all about freedom (who wouldn’t), and obviously I’m against the DMA

How can you be against the DMA if you’re so pro freedom? The DMA is giving YOU way more freedom than the alternative. Or are you just championing Apples freedom?

 

[Mrkevinfinnerty]

Someone should tell Phil there is no need to be afraid

 

[So@So@So]

The App Store (Apple's app review) was never good in detecting malware, malware just got through and iOS was hardened to prevent scam.
So I don't believe that 3rd party app stores are a big risk.

 

[Mousse]

Those who sacrifice liberty for security deserves neither.

Until Apple builds a firewall into iOS, all the talk about security is just that: talk.

If Apple didn't break jailbreak with each update, I'd use an iPhone. There is a firewall app on the Cydia app store. The main reason I use android is so I can root and install a firewall.

 

[amartinez1660]

There’s a nice article I started reading this morning regarding DMA, its history on previous instances (like forcing Microsoft to remove media player capabilities from Windows), how it works (far different than US legislation) and some interesting excerpts, like:


TLDR; for things that undermine the security of the device, the gatekeeper (Google, Apple, Meta, etc) can put measures in place but they can’t be turned on by default.

Read that again: best buddy and friend, the EU government, regulators, DMA pundits, etc… those that care about the planet, the ants and your security forbids the secure option to be the default and does things that removing media playing options while supposedly promoting “more for the consumer”.

I’m not making this up, it’s all here, so don’t shoot the messenger:

Building Under Regulation [215.]

An essay on the EU Digital Markets Act and Apple’s Update on apps distributed in the European Union (and some personal history)

hardcoresoftware.learningbyshipping.com

 

[raythompsontn]

but they should focus on making a secure system

They do focus on making a secure system. Unfortunately security holes, some really bizarre and obscure, can arise. The nefarious folks can be really clever.

Honestly, my experience from Android and Windows is that people blame themselves or the apps they installed - but not the operating system or Microsoft.

My experience is that people blame Microsoft for NOT making a secure operating system. Many times the comparison has been made between Linux (MacOS is based on Unix) and Windows with Windows being shamed as really insecure. Most of that insecurity comes from third party drivers for external devices.

I have reinstalled the OS a total of zero times.

I have once on my M2 Air in the time I have owned the device. Some piece of software I installed, Adobe product I think, messed up badly. Not so much the MacOS, but the software itself. I could have probably fixed the issue without reinstalling MacOS but reinstalling to nuke the Adobe product was the easier route to take.

I had to completely reinstall Windows on my Surface Laptop. Something happened where the machine would refuse to fully boot. Again, I may have been able to boot from a thumb drive and probably recovered but a reinstall was the simpler option.

Microsoft Windows in "S" mode can only download apps from the Microsoft App Store. I don't see a big uproar in the UK governments over that restriction from Microsoft. Microsoft is probably more prevalent on computers than MacOS. Systems running in "S" mode, probably not so much as those systems are probably relegated to systems sold through HSN and other broadcast shopping outlets. Minimal configuration, even worse than Apple. 4 Gb of memory and 64 Gig of storage. Talk about loser systems for real work. But work fine for email and web browsing.

 

[tomtad]

Never forget.

Then again I miss these keynotes, you'd never get anything like this in Apple's now highly sanitised productions

 

[turbineseaplane]

Never forget.

Then again I miss these keynotes, you'd never get anything like this in Apple's now highly sanitised productions

Yeah, I also miss them. They felt "real"

Now we get these hyper over produced "AD videos" that are just homogenized, nearly AI bot produced, garbage

I just want Tim to leave.
I hate Apple under Tim.

Retire please.
Go hang out at all the Auburn football and basketball games or something and just "be rich"

 

[Appleman3546]

Interesting that he focused on security instead of addressing how Apple is still charging to download alternative apps/stores. Kind of avoiding the real issue here isn't he? I'm surprised Apple is willing to risk a 10% revenue fine on fees when the DMA calls for it to be free...it is almost as though Apple feels it will be struck anyway by the EU and Apple is trying to finance the revenue fine with these fees for when it gets clarity from the EU.

 

[sw1tcher]

To be fair I think Apple does care about both security and privacy but they also very much care about getting their cut.

Apple cares more about $$$ than our privacy.

I offer up exhibit 1

 

[Mescagnus]

When an EU user faces serious consequences or harm to their privacy or monetary losses from apps loaded from alternative app stores, I'm certain EU will happily bear the responsibility and agree to any & all due compensations for the unlucky or unsuspecting user. After all, it's such a consumer friendly, just, and easily approachable multi-national government entity.

 

[JamesMay82]

Fingers crossed for a porn hub app 🤞

 

[turbineseaplane]

Fingers crossed for a porn hub app 🤞

As Nilay said in The Verge review ... AVP can see what your hands are doing at all time

Careful out there ...

 

[slb]

Apple always conveniently forgets that the Mac already allows third-party stores.

 

[klasma]

TLDR; for things that undermine the security of the device, the gatekeeper (Google, Apple, Meta, etc) can put measures in place but they can’t be turned on by default.

Read that again: best buddy and friend, the EU government, regulators, DMA pundits, etc… those that care about the planet, the ants and your security forbids the secure option to be the default and does things that removing media playing options while supposedly promoting “more for the consumer”.

I’m not making this up, it’s all here, so don’t shoot the messenger:

Building Under Regulation [215.]

An essay on the EU Digital Markets Act and Apple’s Update on apps distributed in the European Union (and some personal history)

hardcoresoftware.learningbyshipping.com

I think this refers to new measures not already applied by default for its own app store. The wording is indeed confusing, but I would read it as not special-casing alternative app stores by default. This would also be in line with Apple’s strategy of treating apps from alternative app stores the same as apps from the regular app store, with regard to the review process and code signing (minus content policies).

In any case, we will probably know in a few months.

 

[Mescagnus]

I fail to understand how an app can break the iOS or make it less secure. This fear-mongering from Apple is ridiculous and the users who defend such rhetoric are simply simpletons, no offense.

Breaking the iOS is not the point. A bad actor stealing for example your credit card information and personal details is. There's a reason why in-app purchases and app purchases from Apple App Store is so safe. Only Apple has your info. And if you happen to pay for a ****** or outdated app, Apple refunds you no questions asked – at least that has been my experience.

 

[boss.king]

I wonder if Schiller feels embarrassed when he’s forced to twist the truth like this. It can’t feel great to know what you’re saying isn’t true but having to say it anyway to defend a company’s bottom line.

 

[bushman4]

Forewarned is Forearmed
Or
Buyer beware