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Epic Games Not Satisfied With Ruling in Case Against Apple, Files Appeal
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If you can't be with the one you love...
Where you build something with boxes and some blankets in the living room and pretend you're in a castle.
I wonder why it is called the Apple App Store.
Ah, but it is much easier to have two phones than two wives.
Thank you for submitting your resume, and we're quite sorry to hear your current employer is headed for the abyss, but we simply can't hire you at the moment because we're powerful and have a lot of money.
We all know what side people that deal in absolutes in the Star Wars universe are on. Not sure real life is any different.
If you think this case (or any bigger case) is black and white, I hope you never have step into a courtroom.
Which is what every store does every time they decide what to carry.
Other stores do that as well, when they decide not to carry cigarettes, rifles, adult magazines, or anything else they disapprove of.
As long as it is their OS they have no obligation to allow other stores.
I agree with everything you said.
However, let's also not ignore that apps are what makes people buy iPhones which is a profitable hardware sale for Apple. In addition, apps are part of what makes people want to upgrade their iPhones for faster versions and more functionality.
And the more popular an app gets, the more bandwidth it costs Apple, yes, but it also makes people use their iPhones more which leads to more iPhone sales.
So while I agree that Apple should get a cut of digital sales, we shouldn't forget that Apple benefits from developer apps as well. It's much more of a beneficial relationship than a one-sided one.
It's a straw horse argument that Apple will "destroy" the current App Store, but it will degrade it and the user experience.
Look, I agree with you that I prefer that Apple be more robust in the support of freedom of speech, etc. But iOS is private property, Apple's property, and they have very strong opinions on what they want the user experience to be. They also don't want to be banned in China, Russia, et al, so they have to walk a fine line.
Fortunately, there are ways to side-load on iOS right now, from XCode to Testflight to alt stores that allow apps to skip App Review and distribute fairly widely.
But as an iOS developer, I don't want to see a sideloading become widespread, and I want App Review to remain strong. Even with strong App Review scammers slip through, and every one that does makes it harder to convince users to download my apps. Sideloading apps filling iPhones with unpatchable security exploits and viruses will make users mistrust every app, and iOS. Users don't know, few will understand it was their fault, and even understand the difference between Apples App Store and the insecure garbage store their friend told them to use.
Proof of how effective and valuable Apple's stewardship is on the App Store is that I know my average iOS installs will generate TEN TIMES more revenue than the average Google Play install. Apple built iOS and iPhone to not just attract the biggest spending customers, but also to make them safe and comfortable buying apps and subscriptions through the App store.
Recently I signed up for what I thought was 3 months of eHarmony for $100. I've been charged $200 so far and found out they converted my membership into a one year auto-renewing membership with more charges on the way. They provide no way to cancel the membership or get a refund, and their support is terrible.
How did that happen when I"m a DEVELOPER who should know better? Any subscription I sign up for through the App Store has to clearly tell me what I'm signing up for and getting, I can cancel at any time, I can get refunds, and I have one screen that tells me the state of ALL my subscriptions.
Do we really want to replace that with a hundred different purchasing systems like eHarmony's?
Nope, I just want to be able to use Apps that don't meet Apple nanny rules, are not censored by Apple for political reasons, or are competitive with Apple products but better written. Simple. Everyone needs to pressure Apple, otherwise we'll be left with only government propaganda Apps.
Imagine this:
I stay within the walled garden. I only download apps from the App Store.
But my friend decides to install some rogue app from a 3rd party store... and the app steals all his contacts.
Then I start getting a bunch of spammy texts and emails because HIS phone was compromised. Or worse... someone in his contact list clicks on one of those links... and they end up downloading something nefarious. And the process continues.
That's precisely the situation I don't want to be in.
And then bigger companies like facebook and google start removing their apps from the iOS App Store, and mandate that users who want to continue using their apps will need to down them from their own app stores, and these apps will not support features like ATT, and can have tracking up the wazoo because they don’t have to be screened by Apple.
So yeah, totally my choice to not use 3rd party app stores. Zero downside whatsoever.
Did you just critique someone for dealing in absolutes, then admit you were not sure life was any different than the Star Wars universe and say you hoped THEY never have to step into a courtroom?
It's worse than that even. If someone is allowed to create a low-rent 3rd party store with little vetting, there will be a bunch of apps only available from that store. It will be hard to avoid downloading one forever, maybe its the only way you can get a favorite game or your employer's chat app pf choice only be on that store. Maybe your spouse or kid will download one when they borrow your phone.
Then 2 years later you find out all your texts, photos, contacts, and private files are in a data dump from some hacker. Thats how your wife finds out you've been cheating on her, with a dude. And your employer gets to read your private bitches about your stupid managers. And your friends get to make fun of the terrible haircut in your dick pics.