Epic: Fortnite Offline Worldwide 'Until Apple Unblocks It'

[AppliedMicro]

If we snapped our fingers and Apple and Google went away tomorrow, no app would function. No mobile software developer could continue to operate their business. They can have their website and payment processor and then do nothing.

Same as when the ISP or the electric power company went away tomorrow?
Does that justify them taking a percentage of downstream businesses' revenue?

But that is not how businesses works. Do you think it is "fair" what the NFL charges? Do you think it is "fair" what your gas station charges? Do you think it is fair what pharmaceutical companies charge?

The NFL provides a non-essential entertainment product.
Mobile operating systems are pretty essential for many businesses in today's world.

Your mention pf pharmaceutical companies is a good one: Because their prices are (either directly or indirectly) regulated in developed nations around the world. Gasoline prices - not so much. But these markets are a thing that competition watch are monitoring very closes.

I would say the most ideal way to change the situation is to allow competition to alter the market

I agree.

And since it - as I understand you agree - it won't be happening in operating systems, let's make sure that the distribution of third-party applications is subject to competition.

 

[surferfb]

Compare it to the situation on macOS:

You will still have a rich "closed" experience when limiting yourself to software from the App Store.
While we can't have a rich "open" experience when being denied installation of non-App-Store apps.

You can have a rich open experience! It’s called Android.

Again - there is no good argument for you taking away the option for a closed ecosystem from everyone who wants one when an open ecosystem already exists.

Also, the availability of non-App-Store apps ensures competition and makes for cost-efficient distribution.
Which consumers benefit from.

No they don’t. Developers benefit from it, but we’ve already seen that app prices don’t go down when the commission does.

 

[wbeasley]

You can have a rich open experience! It’s called Android.

Again - there is no good argument for you taking away the option for a closed ecosystem from everyone who wants one when an open ecosystem already exists.


No they don’t. Developers benefit from it, but we’ve already seen that app prices don’t go down when the commission does.

we are wasting our time. again.
same people. same arguments.
they wont listen.
they dont care that some people LIKE a closed environment.
and their supporting the EU to open iOS up means we no longer get the added protection we have had and want.

it takes away from many what they bought into for over a decade.

if a closed environment truly was so bad, Apple would have been forced to open it up by market forces not governments.

and that clearly hasnt happened.

 

[Sophisticatednut]

You can have a rich open experience! It’s called Android.

Again - there is no good argument for you taking away the option for a closed ecosystem from everyone who wants one when an open ecosystem already exists.

You never had it. The closed ecosystem has never existed. It was more or less difficult to install third party apps through official means. This is just another step towards making it easier.

No they don’t. Developers benefit from it, but we’ve already seen that app prices don’t go down when the commission does.

Developers making more money benefits consumers. As they can use more of their resources to develop new products and better services. Low margin services can become viable all of a sudden.

 

[BaldiMac]

...which is why they can be considered are basically the same from a web standards perspective.


Keeping with your analogy:
There is a duopoly of web rendering engines (WebKit and Chromium) from a web standards perspective.

And that is the perspective web developers are taking when deciding what and how they develop.
Deciding between developing and optimising for Brave or Chrome is not a thing or real decision.

Similarly, there's a duopoly between iOS and Android from a software application and API perspective.
Which is commercially relevant. "Do I develop for One UI, Graphene or Google's Android?" is not a real question.

Hah. There's your bait and switch. Nobody was talking about it from a "software application and API perspective." We were clearly talking about it from a customer and market perspective as you acknowledged in your previous post. Again, just because two platforms are compatible does not mean they don't compete with each other.

Just as Brave and Chrome compete with each other despite using the same rendering engine.

 

[Ethosik]

I don’t think it’s relevant to give my place of employment
It’s an app that’s hidden on the App Store and you can only get it from a QR code
The reason they can do it is the older people have retired
But I’m seeing this more and more
It’s like anything the people without are now the minority so companies implement things that require a smartphone

I need proof. You provided a big claim but are unwilling to prove it. I have worked with almost a hundred companies in the last few years. Not ONE has an app requirement for taking days off. At most there are websites that you can visit on any device even ***gasp*** a computer.

 

[Stuwil]

I need proof. You provided a big claim but are unwilling to prove it. I have worked with almost a hundred companies in the last few years. Not ONE has an app requirement for taking days off. At most there are websites that you can visit on any device even ***gasp*** a computer.

Why should I give my employment details on some random website?
Is that not how you could get virus or malware?

 

[Ethosik]

ISPs and other utilities are a bad example because they are actually geographic monopolies where consumers actually only have one option.

Not "I have two options but I don't want to use Android so let's use government to make Apple do what I want and turn it into a more attractive version of Android" but actually "you have one option. Take it or leave it." That necessitates regulation.

I'd argue that forcing Apple to open up actually turns the mobile space into an actual monopoly, because those of us who want a closed ecosystem lose that option.

Yes I wish even 5% of all this Apple bashing lately got directed towards ISPs. I only have one option. And it’s Spectrum and it’s horrible.

And it doesn’t help in conversations like this when ISP gets brought up people literally state it’s easier to move to get a different ISP than it is to switch from iOS to Android.

 

[Ethosik]

Why should I give my employment details on some random website?
Is that not how you could get virus or malware?

Then don’t make absurd claims that cannot be backed up. Like I said I have never seen in my many years of contracting work dealing with a wide range of companies that they require a flipping App to request PDO. That is just the most insane statement I have seen. A website sure, but not an app.

 

[Stuwil]

Then don’t make absurd claims that cannot be backed up. Like I said I have never seen in my many years of contracting work dealing with a wide range of companies that they require a flipping App to request PDO. That is just the most insane statement I have seen. A website sure, but not an app.

Just think about it
You want me to give everyone on the planet my place of employment?

The companies that I have worked for & currently don’t do it like the old days
Because all the older workers have retired
And now because everyone has a smartphone they can now bring these policies in.

 

[Ethosik]

Just think about it
You want me to give everyone on the planet my place of employment?

The companies that I have worked for & currently don’t do it like the old days
Because all the older workers have retired
And now because everyone has a smartphone they can now bring these policies in.

I need some example. Because I have never seen such an absurd requirement even in the last few years dealing with businesses small to large.

 

[surferfb]

I need some example. Because I have never seen such an absurd requirement even in the last few years dealing with businesses small to large.

While I agree it sounds crazy to me too and would never pick a vendor that didn't offer a web function for the company I help run, it doesn't surprise me that there are companies out there that require an app. Particularly if they give out company-owned hardware.

 

[Ethosik]

While I agree it sounds crazy to me too and would never pick a vendor that didn't offer a web function for the company I help run, it doesn't surprise me that there are companies out there that require an app. Particularly if they give out company-owned hardware.

Even those businesses where I got company issued phone they didn’t require an app for taking time off.

 

[Stuwil]

I need some example. Because I have never seen such an absurd requirement even in the last few years dealing with businesses small to large.

What example do you want
Holidays and uniforms etc
All used to be done with paper in these companies
Now because the OLDER workforce are retired & coming to the end of their working life
Then these companies who have replaced all their older workers with younger people then they can remove the old way of operating
In the digital age

 

[surferfb]

Even those businesses where I got company issued phone they didn’t require an app for taking time off.

I agree with you that it's not normal (or ideal). For example, my company pays for employees' phone hardware and doesn't require an app, but it also doesn't surprise me that someone out there does.

I am sure there are work arounds (for example, I can enter my employees' Time Off for them, which I occasionally need to do around the holidays when our PTO resets while people are out). Also could be that there is a website but it's not advertised in the instructions etc. so employees are led to believe they need to use the app.

 

[Ethosik]

What example do you want
Holidays and uniforms etc
All used to be done with paper in these companies
Now because the OLDER workforce are retired & coming to the end of their working life
Then these companies who have replaced all their older workers with younger people then they can remove the old way of operating
In the digital age

I stated exactly what example I need. Nearly ever business I have dealt with has websites where you deal with your timesheet and request time off. Not an app that requires a phone.

 

[Ethosik]

I agree with you that it's not normal (or ideal). For example, my company pays for employees' phone hardware and doesn't require an app, but it also doesn't surprise me that someone out there does.

I am sure there are work arounds (for example, I can enter my employees' Time Off for them, which I occasionally need to do around the holidays when our PTO resets while people are out). Also could be that there is a website but it's not advertised in the instructions etc. so employees are led to believe they need to use the app.

And why are we saying this as an example that phones are a requirement for employment these days in this thread? I have never seen this and I have dealt with a large number of businesses.

 

[russell_314]

"Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the US App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union,"

The way these two are behaving is like the children who play the game (Adult players not included in that comment).

It’s a game for spoiled teenagers. They’re just acting in character 😂

 

[I7guy]

While I agree it sounds crazy to me too and would never pick a vendor that didn't offer a web function for the company I help run, it doesn't surprise me that there are companies out there that require an app. Particularly if they give out company-owned hardware.

Most companies imo and experience that do this type of time management at least have a website.

 

[MTWomg]

It’s a game for spoiled teenagers. They’re just acting in character 😂

Actually, it's a game for extremely normal 9-13 year olds - not really for teenagers. The 'spoiled' comment doesn't make a whole lot of sense when speaking about a game that is largely playable without purchases - and is priced much more affordably than other titles in the same space with regards to the stuff that does cost money - Crew Pass, for instance, is quite cheap.

 

[Stuwil]

And why are we saying this as an example that phones are a requirement for employment these days in this thread? I have never seen this and I have dealt with a large number of businesses.

Are they pin it to the notice board in work & tell you download load this to your smartphone because you need it
And because all the OLD people have retired
Then people just accept it because it’s the way of the world now.

 

[Stuwil]

Most companies imo and experience that do this type of time management at least have a website.

Why would you need a computer
When you have a slab of glass in your pocket
That over 5 billion people have.

 

[I7guy]

Why would you need a computer
When you have a slab of glass in your pocket
That over 5 billion people have.

Even so safari is a browser. As I said most time management products have a website.

And more power to you if you as a professional exempt worker can do your full day job on a slab of glass.

 

[Ethosik]

Why would you need a computer
When you have a slab of glass in your pocket
That over 5 billion people have.

The argument was that a smartphone is REQUIRED for employment due to those apps. Using a computer debunks that argument. If you want to use your phone use your phone. But you can’t argue it’s a requirement if you just won’t use alternatives available.

 

[Stuwil]

The argument was that a smartphone is REQUIRED for employment due to those apps. Using a computer debunks that argument. If you want to use your phone use your phone. But you can’t argue it’s a requirement if you just won’t use alternatives available.

If can you access it without the QR code to let
You in.
That is pinned to the notice board & you are told to scan the QR code that then gives you
Access 👍🏻
Not me the company tell you to scan the qr
Code as I’m just an employee
Not the CEO
So if management tell you this is the new way
Then that’s the rules & regulations
Or they will just kick me out for not following them