But governments can? Be careful what you wish for.
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iOS 18.2 Lets EU Users Delete App Store, Safari, Messages, Camera and Photos
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But governments can? Be careful what you wish for.
I'm from the EU and I bought an iPhone not an Android phone so this is annoying.
While I am generally positive towards what the EU is trying to achieve, the crippling of iOS and ChatGPT is a Orwellian overstep that needs to be rectified. As soon as possible. You cannot win this by hiding your head in the sand.
And being able to uninstall basic OS functionality and deeply integrated application like Photos and Camera will lead to all kinds of problems for laypersons and annoy all those who have to fix those mess-ups.
And being able to uninstall basic OS functionality and deeply integrated application like Photos and Camera will lead to all kinds of problems for laypersons and annoy all those who have to fix those mess-ups.
Formally, that which you were alluding to when you wrote “Government”, is actually the entity called “State” (not as in USA, but the Polity as in Capitalist State).
There is no boundary or interface between the Capitalist State, and the private corporations that operate within it, they are one and the same thing.
So, in the context of a Capitalist State, next time you think about The Government, which essentially is the executive branch of The State… just look at it as the executive branch of the major corporations it operates under.
And you may arrive to some conclusions.
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This is so incredibly idiotic. Good job EU, good job.
Removing the camera app doesn't disable the camera on the phone. If there's a risk of cameras getting hijacked or you're working in secure environments, then phones won't be allowed. Uninstalling the camera app doesn't mean the camera API can't be used on the phone.
You're already able to install 3rd party browsers. Uninstalling Safari doesn't add anything.
You're getting a bit ridiculous. If you don't want to make or receive phone calls, then turn your phone off or turn on airplane mode / remove your SIM card. Again uninstalling an app isn't the solution.
There are ways to disable the camera, both in software and in hardware (by physically unplugging or even removing the camera module). But then you still have a pointless camera app, so it's nice that it can now be deleted.
Sure it does. It removes Safari. Why have an app on your phone that you don't want to use?
Removing the SIM doesn't just mean you can't make phone calls. It removes all connectivity via the mobile phone network, including data. There are plenty of specialised environments/configurations where you want data on the device but not phone calls.
What I don't get is how things like this aren't standard across all platforms and OS's.. I mean come on, when can I delete Edge from MS or whatever co-pilot crap they are forcing on us... If they are going to make Apple follow these rules, make everyone else too!
I suppose there may be a broader point to be made about individual vs collective rights, as well whether users ought to be given enough rope to hang themselves with (accidentally or otherwise), and if that is even a good user experience to begin with.
Take gun laws for example. There may be people who are legitimately safer from being allowed to own a gun, but it’s also clear that this has resulted in society being more unsafe as a whole.
Making a phone more readily repairable may be good for people willing and able to carry this out on their own, but what does it mean for the overall design of the product, and other potential compromises like less space for batteries or worse waterproofing?
Being able to access the kernel of a computer may be handy for the more tech savvy users, and then there is crowdstrike.
With the iPhone 16, there are now 4 ways of launching the camera from the Lock Screen, so I can see the argument for being allowed to swap it out. But to delete the camera app or even the App Store altogether? You can already remove it from your homescreen, so who exactly is being served by this?
I personally feel there should be some basic stock apps that are deemed vital to the core smartphone experience (eg: Safari, camera, App Store, Mail, phone and messages, just to name a few).
Bummer! I was so eager to get an empty home screen on my new iPhone 16 Pro! I bought it for looks. Couldn't care less if it's useful.
I'm totally confused with the anger at the EU here
Nobody is forcing anyone to delete Apps
One simply has the option to do so if they'd like to
I fail to see the issue?
Nobody is forcing anyone to delete Apps
One simply has the option to do so if they'd like to
I fail to see the issue?
I’m team “hope they get what they wish for times a 100”.
Now they should add the option to PERMANENTLY delete it forever, no iOS update nor any recovery sequence will get any of the perma-deleted apps back.
Let me suggest extending that to fully being able to delete iOS altogether, with permanent options too.
Let anybody install whatever Android or Linux mobile flavor they wish they would like to have.
“My phone my choice, should do whatever I want to do with it”… let’s give those ten people the real whatever they want to do with it.
I’ll watch from afar.
Actually, maybe if Apple had done that they could have skirted a lot of the EU’s pocket-of-others hungry “I’ll fine you worldwide” fingers as having iOS and Co would be ultimately user’s choice.
Agreed. I’m pro even more choice.
They should go extreme with it.
(As per my post above)
All the butthurtery in the comments by presumably US readers is really funny considering the US is supposed to be the country of “freedom”
Since when has choice against a multi trillion dollar oligarchy ever been such a negative thing?
Something is broken in society where a large portion of the populace feel an innate need to defend a company that is to all intents and purposes anti-consumer and goes out of their way to maximize their profits at the expense of their customers’ experience and sometimes safety and ability to repair / replace broken parts on their own terms.
Since when has choice against a multi trillion dollar oligarchy ever been such a negative thing?
Something is broken in society where a large portion of the populace feel an innate need to defend a company that is to all intents and purposes anti-consumer and goes out of their way to maximize their profits at the expense of their customers’ experience and sometimes safety and ability to repair / replace broken parts on their own terms.
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If I wanted an Android phone I would buy an Android phone. Eventually, their crap will catch on the USA (which I'm surprised given how things are crazy didn't start there) and ruin it for everyone else.
I’d love to be able to delete that POS Photos app. Deleting all apps will surely spike 3rd party development of core apps.
Waste of time and effort for pointless bureaucracy that doesn’t benefit consumers.
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The anti-Apple nerds who user iPhones and their newbie social circle asking their opinion on this will do this.