people who use a desktop device are a different class of users than mobile device users.
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UK Antitrust Watchdog to Investigate Apple's App Store Policies [Updated]
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Sadly, that future doesn't feel too far away.
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There are two more perspectives. D - the watchdogs. These are the people who have to power to regulate, irrespective of whether the legislation is good or bad. E - the observers. These are the people with no skin in the game at all. Maybe they are former Apple customers, but it doesn't matter. There is no investment on their part in Apples' ecosystem, but there are some who are quite vocal about varied topics.
But it makes sense one of the bigger corporations in the world is going to be a target for various things, including app store investigation, since that seems to be a hot-button topic at this point.
Good point, very true.....I guess there are times when it pays to not be one of the bigger players.
I pulled nothing, just making an observation. If you believe the only option is to purchase a different phone, so be it. I believe we will find out in the next few years if the IOS App store operates within the law. I have been using Apple products since 1995 so I love their products. This is just me seeing that there may be a problem with how the App store is set up.
Also, the constant mantra of it you don't like it, go get an Android, to me, makes no sense. First off, I do have an Android. I had also owned every IPhone from 1-6. This isn't a matter of "if you don't like it, leave", It's more a matter of what is right. We will see.
No, the TSLA that I put the money into has been vastly outperforming AAPL.
Even with the enormous 33% drop TSLA has had over the past month, we're still up 3x with Tesla in the past year vs only 60% with Apple. And whereas Apple is a pandemic bubble (lots of stimulus check money just flowing into AAPL by retail investors, plus a temporary bump in equipment for remote learning/work), Tesla continues to be majorly underestimated/undervalued - expect it to increase 10x in 3 years and 30x over the decade.
Oh, it's legal alright otherwise they can't do it for more than a decade. Don't kid yourself. These lawsuits are political. It's because Apple is too successful, too powerful and too rich.
Apple is doing what is right. To make iOS less secure is plainly wrong.
I don't know what "jacked" means. But as for getting ripped off by a 3rd party app or whatever…
Do we really live in a world where such morons even exist that they blame Microsoft for the viruses on Windows, or blame Apple for the viruses on macOS? Sorry to be vague, what I mean to say is, "I'm not a moron, I hold myself accountable for taking risks."
In addition, I would feel safer being able to install 3rd party malware protection or a firewall of some sort, rather than entirely depending on Apple to protect my iOS device as I currently do. I already feel vulnerable for not having such protections on my phone.
I hope you realize that it wasn't until Microsoft was challenged by Netscape lawyers that their "illegal" practices were uncovered and changes were required. Just because something has been done "this way" for a while, does not mean it is legal or right. It may or may not be. That's for regulators, lawyers, etc, to determine.
I hope you do realize that this case is vastly different from Microsoft’s. You may not be at that time like me so don’t have full understanding of why the case against Microsoft was needed unlike this one, but at least should stop throwing things you don’t fully understand around.
I have a feeling you’re kind of like pulling things out of your ass, don’t you? Logic be damned.
You’re also a strange kind of person, to trust politicians this much. Do I need to educate you about why that’s not such a good idea? There are millions of things politicians did wrong. Just on the topic of Apple one immediate example is they want back door to iOS. You like that *determination* from regulators as well?
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Not pulling anything from anywhere 😀 I understand the Microsoft case pretty well. My point being, what they were doing was not scrutinized until light was shined on it. Also, I don't trust politicians as far as I could throw them. That's not the point. There is good and bad regulations and regulators. You can't choose what you believe to be good regulations unless you are a lawyer and are going to personally fight that case. The situation here is kind of uncharted territory. Laws may have to be made or changed based on all of this. None of us know.
These app stores have never been regulated and now the light is being shined on what the consequences are of their policies. Everything may stay as it is now, or, it may be found that there is something anti competitive about their process. To me, it's similar to the situation of states getting sales taxes on internet sales. It used to be, you ordered online and you paid no sales tax. It's still that way in some cases, but that is changing big time.
I don't mind it's being regulated. What I mind is the idea that getting apps from anywhere without being vouched is a good idea, aka a Mac model which shouldn't be used on mobile.
The iOS App Store right now is unique and not only super convenient but rock solid in protecting customers. To try to change it to something that's proven to be not as effective is really a bad idea, and I don't trust regulators to do the right thing. You change what is flawed not change for the change sake just because tech companies are now too big.
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I understand your point, but it is possible that the App Store would remain as it is, but there would be options for others to purchase direct from the developer. What I think might be possible is, the App Store has to compete with individual developers sites. If you don't want to purchase from them, go to the App Store. I'm just curious, how does this change your use of an IPhone?
If it is able to download apps from somewhere else you bet there will be scams for people to do just that and it's not safe.
And I don't think trusting 3rd party app devs is a good idea. There are tens of thousands of them out there if not more. Who knows who can be reliable. By the law of average alone you can bet there will be many bad actors out there.
There is no need to do it. The majority hasn't asked for it. No parents has asked for their daughter's phone to be able to download apps from somewhere else. Like I said, if it makes iOS less secure it's a bad idea. You should only change to make it more, not less.
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But, how does the ability to download directly from the developer make you or anyone else less safe if the App store is still there for you to use? I agree most developers have not been asking for this kind of change. There's a good reason for that. Even if it was required to allow developers to sell directly, most would continue, through there own choice to sell through the App store. The key word here is CHOICE.
I'm not discussing this because I want this change to happen. It really doesn't matter to me either way. I just don't see how having choice is wrong. It may be for you, but not for everyone. If governing bodies decide that the current system needs to change because it is unfair, then I would assume that something was inherently wrong in the setup and workings of the App store concept. Now, if we were talking about the government saying that Apple could not curate or run an App store at all, I would be in disagreement.
I don’t think this philosophy is right. Not for Apple anyway. You can’t please everyone so more choices doesn’t necessarily mean better. But you can make the system as secure as possible so that should be the goal.
As for the first question, having less way to get vulnerable apps into the system is already good for users. It doesn’t matter if we will use it or not since we can *accidently*, tricked or get scammed, use it if that door is open. And we don’t have to imagine about it because Android already using this model that you can side load apps and it is 50 times (the current estimation) likely to get infected than iOS.
It isn’t like iOS is lacking apps anyway so open the door for more apps is kind of solving the wrong problem here.
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That is exactly the problem though
Regulators jobs are to ensure that no corporate entity can behave in a manner that is counter to consumer protection. When a company gets to be either part of an oligopoly, or monopolistic due to it's size. Extra scrutiny must be applied against it. No matter what company it is
we have far far too many corporate oligopolies these days that have way too much power and influence due to their wealth over governance and what is actually GOOD for people. Rather than just themselves.
They are being scrutinized because they have gotten too big and are at a point where they can effectively enforce their own will on millions of people regardless of their choice. That definitely should get a sober second thought from regulators and the consumer.
I don't have problem with it. I'm just stating the fact that these cases are political.
What I'm having problem with is most or all of their ideas doesn't seem to benefit consumers who's already well protected by Apple's iOS system. I mean Google search is a monopoly. Youtube is a monopoly. Is App Store a monopoly? Half of people will say no.
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The problem I think is where does "protecting the users" and "controlling the users" start and end?
I'm not countering that Apple's locked down ideal of iOS doesn't add a layer of protections from the user. BUt at the same time, it also gives Apple unfettered control over everything on the platform. They can lock out competing Applications at their whim. They can control who or what application you can use. There are pros and cons. but at the end of the day, there are going to be situations where such a control can be abusive and used to steer you towards further vendor lock-in, or further killing off of competitive landscape. Both are also really bad for the consumer.
For example: Looking at the App store and what Apps are allowed. APple already prohibits apps that directly compete with built in iOS functionality. doesn't matter if that 3rd party had a better App. Apple's rules prohibit it. Or Apple uses it to provide themselves a competitive advantage over revenues. Apple doesn't have to pay 30% (15%) to itself when someone uses it's own services. They get to keep that as pure revenue. Yet if you want to compete with Apple's Apps? Your costs will be automatically 30% higher. And if you want someone on iOS to use your App you have zero choice.
it also causes issues with the open source community, which is generally pretty reliable and good. Just because the code isn't signed doesn't make it unsafe. It should be signed, and we should only use signed code, but there are thousands if not millions of small time people writing things for fun that do amazing things. They cannot afford the licensing, code signing and costs associated with ti. Hence why Github is as popular as it is.
this isn't a binary thing. it's nota "all or nothing". Regulators, and Apple need to walk a fine line between providing suitable and reasonable security precautions to protect users, but, at the same time, not act like an abusive corp who is exclusively locking you out of competition's offerings.
What apps you're talking about really? All major function of iOS like mail, browser, calendar, contacts.. heck even music and movies there are better 3rd party apps out there. What apps that is prohibited from the App Store?
Throughout the years:
one that stands out to me was the original app that did the night-time adjustment to the colour temp (THe name escapes me). Once Apple introduced their own version into iOS, they blocked the app itself and told them they must change it to not repeat built in iOS functionality.
damn, can anyone else remember the name of that app? cause i'm drawing a blank. There have been other little things like this throughout the years.
Exactly. Throughout the years there were not much.
This blue light filter app if it existed on iOS it would be able to control the whole of your phone screen. How is that a good idea? The app can do that? On Mac I kind of understand. On iOS? App doesn't function when you open another app so how can it do that? That's the OS level. It is dangerous for apps to hook to OS functions.
If it's a browser that helps your eyes at night those apps are still around.
Another one, I remember now, is notification apps. Yeah you wouldn't want 3rd party devs do a job of notifying you on everything you did on your phone either.
So far I don't see a problem here.
And I don't think it's "all of nothing". Like I said I just don't see the ideas throwing around benefits iOS users who already well protected. If there is one that makes sense I would support it.
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