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Wanted797

macrumors 68000
Oct 28, 2011
1,724
3,609
Australia
Until popular apps get removed from the App Store... and are put into their own stores or downloaded from the developer's website.

You can bet Meta will immediately put Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp in their own store... so they could put all sorts of data-stealing code in their apps since they don't have to be checked by Apple's App Review anymore.

Remember... Meta lost $10 billion when Apple introduced all their new privacy changes.

I imagine Meta's apps will be full of tracking if people can just download apps from their store or website.

That's what people are worried about.

😲
Yep. Banking apps will also follow (if they get nfc). Pulling support for Apple Pay and instead building it into their ****** apps.
 

Ethosik

Contributor
Oct 21, 2009
7,820
6,724
And Steam is still the better Store. I have them all installed, MS, Epic, Steam, GOG, a healthy competition, also iTunes but it has no games.

The same does Apple with Apple Arcade to enforce subscriptions, I just name Jetpack Joyride the latest addition. They took a game title away (again) with $$$ and want to force me into something that is worse and I don’t want. Good that I’m not a Jetpack Joyride fan, take this just as a example.
But that is not what you said. You said this:

If they leave, then it’s because the Apple AppStore sucks and better alternative exists for both sides, for dev and customers. That’s how a competitive healthy market works.
Games have left Steam to be on the Epic Games Store. But that doesn't mean Steam sucks. Games don't exist on Steam, but that doesn't mean Steam sucks.
 

MysticCow

macrumors 68000
May 27, 2013
1,561
1,740
policies surrounding the App Store, third-party apps, repairs, and more.

Third-party apps and App Store are in the same vein. Allow third-party, limit the number of them that can be installed (i.e. three app limit), and sandbox them hardcore to protect iOS as much as possible. I mean, adults are going to sideload a site that sounds an awful lot like CornHub. Kids will sideload Fortnite since it isn’t there. And maybe we’d get something like WoW for iPhone that we’d sideload? But a small limit like Roku had for installing a developer channel should be enough for most.

And repairs have always been a sticky wicket because if you can use generic boards, then it opens the doors to the macOS being able to be installed on ANYTHING. We might let be coming back to paying for macOS again.
 

bookofxero

macrumors 6502
Dec 31, 2017
412
650
Apple will already be facing a lawsuit from the government. 😄

As a $2.5T company, they can afford to hire some support staff to deal with headaches, trust me.
That is market cap. While they do have an absurd cash hoard, the expectation that their support staff could or should be expanded to provided all sorts of "free" support for every third party app is ridiculous.
I hope small dev houses are ready for a significant premium increase on the developer license and tools thanks to these big dev houses pushing their own agenda for their own stores (corporate equivalent of "think of the children!").
 

AppliedMicro

macrumors 68020
Aug 17, 2008
2,282
2,606
limit the number of them that can be installed (i.e. three app limit)
There’s no reason to limit third-party app installations to three apps. Except being anticompetitive ********s. Oh wait… that’s exactly what’s being investigated here and being regulated by lawmakers against. While Apple’s secure platform argument is entertained by quite a few of them, such brazen stifling competition won’t be.
And repairs have always been a sticky wicket because if you can use generic boards, then it opens the doors to the macOS being able to be installed on ANYTHING
Repairs have never been about generic boards.
I hope small dev houses are ready for a significant premium increase on the developer license
Once Apple has lost their gatekeeping power to be needed to sign apps for distribution, other IDE developers can pick up the slack and provide alternatives to Xcode.
 
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I7guy

macrumors Nehalem
Nov 30, 2013
34,311
24,047
Gotta be in it to win it
[…]

Once Apple has lost their gatekeeping power to be needed sign apps for distribution, other IDE developers can pick up the slack and provide alternatives to Xcode.
if Apple loses their gatekeeping power to be needed sign apps for distribution, other IDE developers can pick up the slack and provide alternatives to Xcode.

Just added a dose of reality.
 

Wildkraut

Suspended
Nov 8, 2015
3,583
7,673
Germany
But that is not what you said. You said this:

If they leave, then it’s because the Apple AppStore sucks and better alternative exists for both sides, for dev and customers. That’s how a competitive healthy market works.

Games have left Steam to be on the Epic Games Store. But that doesn't mean Steam sucks. Games don't exist on Steam, but that doesn't mean Steam sucks.
Yep, its no secret that the AppStore in its current form utterly sucks.
It’s build to slowly drag people into subscriptions, does not allow devs to sell version upgrades to existing customers, and much more.

Again, Apple would gain real competition and would have to modify the AppStore in a way it becomes more attractive to devs and customers. If they don’t, devs and customers move away, a healthy competitive market, simply as that.
 

4nNtt

macrumors 6502a
Apr 13, 2007
917
716
Chicago, IL
I hate these types of decisions made by government bureaucrats, but some competition might improve the AppStore. It is by far the worst service Apple offers and I’m sure much of that is the conflict between what’s right for shareholders and what’s right for consumers. I think Apple could have prevented this with the balance tipped a little more toward consumers and third-party developers. To be clear, not every aspect of the store is anti-consumer. Some consumers strongly support the App Store for some of the privacy protections they don’t get from the Google Play Store.
 
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HarryWarden

macrumors 6502a
Oct 27, 2012
608
121
Only good thing about this would be the ability to run video game emulators on iOS. Emulation on iOS would be awesome as the A chips are more powerful than Samsung’s Snapdragon line of chips.
 

huge_apple_fangirl

macrumors 6502a
Aug 1, 2019
757
1,282
Apple will win this lawsuit- Lina Khan and the Biden DOJ have very interesting antitrust views that basically boil down to “big tech bad”. What Apple does have to worry about is the garbage bills floating around the US Senate like the US Competition and Choice Online Act, basically the US version of the EU DMA. Luckily Schumer is payed off by Big Tech interests and refuses to hold a vote and there is no time left before the midterms. In general America‘s separation of powers between the executive and the legislature, as well as our bicameralism, makes it very hard to pass laws compared to Europe. People say our system of government is “broken” but since most of what politicians want to do is terrible it’s actually a blessing in disguise!
 

Unregistered 4U

macrumors G4
Jul 22, 2002
10,117
8,060
Cannot wait to see all the replies saying Apple deserves to do this as they built this. But that’s now how a free-market society is supposed to operate. We the consumers should have choices that aren’t completely regulated by the companies we buy products from.
Didn’t have to wait too long, this one was posted right along with your post!
And they did build the ecosystem, but free enterprise and capitalism are supposed to prevail in a free-market society.
Free enterprise and capitalism HAS prevailed. It’s just that what the market has chosen is not what you want and there’s not enough people that want what you want to make what you want worth producing.
Free Market:
an unregulated system of economic exchange, in which taxes, quality controls, quotas, tariffs, and other forms of centralized economic interventions by government either do not exist or are minimal.

Notice how government intervention does not exist or is minimal? By proposing government intervention, you’re actually saying you DON’T want a free market. Which is fine, there are many folks that prefer the government running their markets. Just do say that you’re for a free market when what you’re talking about is diametrically opposed to free markets.
 

Unregistered 4U

macrumors G4
Jul 22, 2002
10,117
8,060
She was certainly able to install 10 toolbars in Internet Explorer.
And, with financial motivation, I’m sure there’s a virtually endless number of folks that would be happy to talk them through installing whatever’s required for them to have control over their system. :)
 

Unregistered 4U

macrumors G4
Jul 22, 2002
10,117
8,060
Sometimes I wonder what’s the definition of anti trust. Vertical integration is not illegal, and plenty of other traditional businesses that are more harmful and less competitive than Apple. But of course, being one of the richest company does put a target on Apple’s back.
It’s when a company uses a market advantage in one area to control an unrelated market. For example, if Apple had an exclusivity clause that meant that a developer releasing an app for the App Store could not release that app for any other smartphone platform, thus limiting app choice. Or, using the money from their iPhone sales to buy up all other companies making phones for the US market and then shut them down, meaning other phones aren’t available to buy.

When compared to prior anti-trust actions, the fact that Apple has done nothing to prevent Android phones from being sold OR Android applications from being written means that Apple’s case is nothing like those. Apple’s not even taking any actions to prevent new smartphones from coming to market. So, it’ll be entertaining to see if they create some new legal argument like the EU with their made up “Gateway” definition. Prior cases in the US have always held that companies like McDonald’s have control over the products they bring to market, so to say that Apple doesn’t have control over the products THEY bring to market will be a creative stretch indeed.
 

DeepIn2U

macrumors G5
May 30, 2002
12,852
6,892
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I dont think it will matter. This witch-hunt is not actually about accomplishing anything, it’s about making statements and appeasing the squeaky wheels.

Agreed. Considering Zuckerberg will not be deposed in the whole data breach case with that now defunct company from years ago getting data of Facebooks users - they have another caste that’s costing Met $1.5billion agreed payment in usa and uk btw - and precious case against Microsoft in 13 states of a monolooly that didn’t go anywhere (gates’ investment into Apple bringing Jobs back), I highly doubt nothing will come of this.

Remember, everyone: when alternative app stores are inevitably allowed on iOS, you can still use the Apple App Store.
And it’s all about the best convenience and established trust amongst Apple users the App Store will remain the primary source for app downloads purchases and in-app purchases. Developers will still make THE most money and easiest convenience of biking payments and trend tracking.
 

Unregistered 4U

macrumors G4
Jul 22, 2002
10,117
8,060
Android allows for other app stores, yet because Google's Appstore (Google Play) is the default appstore 99%+ of all app downloads are from Google Play.
I always love this statistic. “People who own smartphones and have access to third party stores don’t use them. By a HUGE margin. So, Apple should go through all the effort required to support third party stores (including the endless additional security patches) for what’s likely well under 1% of their customers!”

There’s literally zero business case here. Apple could NOT support third party stores in 2023 and would lose, at most, well less than 1% of their customers? Seems like a sound business decision to not support them. Now, if the government wants to foot the bill for it, that’s a different thing altogether. However, I doubt the government will want to pay what’s required.
 
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DeepIn2U

macrumors G5
May 30, 2002
12,852
6,892
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
At what security cost though? The fact that they'd have to make this a possibility inherently makes iOS less secure.

I don't see why people want this so bad anyways. It'll fail miserably. 99.5% of people won't be bothered to use another app store. So these alternatives will try for a while then give up the ghost.
Agreed. I don’t see why this need anyway it’s all money related competitors wanting iOS to be Android to the core. We’ll see how this will turn.
Apple must not have been donating enough to certain politicians.
Nah, a politicians’ Fred is insatiable.
Until popular apps get removed from the App Store... and are put into their own stores or downloaded from the developer's website.

You can bet Meta will immediately put Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp in their own store... so they could put all sorts of data-stealing code in their apps since they don't have to be checked by Apple's App Review anymore.

Remember... Meta lost $10 billion when Apple introduced all their new privacy changes.

I imagine Meta's apps will be full of tracking if people can just download apps from their store or website.

That's what people are worried about.

😲

Good! I hope Meta leaves iOS App Store! Users can still access Meta/FB via the browser of their choice.

Also developers are very innovative: Twitter via TweetBot is an example. There will be alternatives using common API’s to access third party resources or come up with competing social media services. IG, TikTok, etc all sprung up incl Snap. It’s a wide wide world out there. New services.
 

Unregistered 4U

macrumors G4
Jul 22, 2002
10,117
8,060
The comments here are disappointing.

Where are the Pull out of the US comments?
Well, there’s been no indication of the kind of things that the EU defined and then pushed out the implementation of a year. As the US is the home market of Apple, though, there’s likely less opportunity for pulling out.
 

Unregistered 4U

macrumors G4
Jul 22, 2002
10,117
8,060
Apple (with iOS) and Google (with Android) have a duopoly in mobile OS with Apple/iOS having the largest share in the U.S.. The government is trying to make the mobile OS market as open and competitive as possible, just as they would and have done in other monopoly, duopoly or oligopoly markets. If consumers still end up deciding they want to use one app store, one browser engine, etc. fine, at least the open market decided that and not a restrictive walled garden.
Making it open and competitive would mean increasing competition, not taking steps to maintain the same duopoly. Financially subsidizing a company that wants to enter the market, THAT would be increasing competition. Or creating incentives that make it more likely that companies would create more smartphone OS competition. Any “solution” that still ends up with just two smartphone OS’s hasn’t increased anything.
 

Unregistered 4U

macrumors G4
Jul 22, 2002
10,117
8,060
All you anti-sideloading crowd behave like you've never even heard of macOS, and aren't aware that it does, and always has, allowed sideloading, and the world of Mac users hasn't collapsed because of it.
No, they’ve heard of it, but why would anyone desire for a more insecure system? If Apple was offering macOS OR macOS with more intrusion vectors, not many would consciously choose the one with more security vectors. iOS sideloading is iOS now with more intrusion vectors!.
 

ThailandToo

macrumors 6502
Apr 18, 2022
427
751
The problem
Didn’t have to wait too long, this one was posted right along with your post!

Free enterprise and capitalism HAS prevailed. It’s just that what the market has chosen is not what you want and there’s not enough people that want what you want to make what you want worth producing.
Free Market:
an unregulated system of economic exchange, in which taxes, quality controls, quotas, tariffs, and other forms of centralized economic interventions by government either do not exist or are minimal.

Notice how government intervention does not exist or is minimal? By proposing government intervention, you’re actually saying you DON’T want a free market. Which is fine, there are many folks that prefer the government running their markets. Just do say that you’re for a free market when what you’re talking about is diametrically opposed to free markets
Didn’t have to wait too long, this one was posted right along with your post!

Free enterprise and capitalism HAS prevailed. It’s just that what the market has chosen is not what you want and there’s not enough people that want what you want to make what you want worth producing.
Free Market:
an unregulated system of economic exchange, in which taxes, quality controls, quotas, tariffs, and other forms of centralized economic interventions by government either do not exist or are minimal.

Notice how government intervention does not exist or is minimal? By proposing government intervention, you’re actually saying you DON’T want a free market. Which is fine, there are many folks that prefer the government running their markets. Just do say that you’re for a free market when what you’re talking about is diametrically opposed to free markets.
You sure think you know everything. The reason why there at times needs to be regulation is when a company has too much power and acts in a monopolistic fashion. Apple has tried to create something it can defend as not a monopoly but it definitely acts like a duopoly with Google at the top.

Anyways, in three years Apple will no longer have the vast power in all methods it does now. It will be regulated away. Most of that will be to the benefit of the consumers, and sometimes the consumers need a break as the top 1% and the Apple executives are the ones taking in all the money.

I seriously doubt you’re one of them…
 

Unregistered 4U

macrumors G4
Jul 22, 2002
10,117
8,060
let’s stop BSing ourselves worrying about our tech savvy Grandmas’ installing Shoddy apps while completely ignoring the decades people have been using the comparatively far more open Macs + MacOS.
It’s the NOT tech savvy Grandma’s that folks should worry about. The most insecure vector of ANY computer is the person using it. And if that person has the ability to be talked through making the system less secure for malicious actors to do their work, you can be assured that all the scam call center workers will have a script ready to go.
 

Unregistered 4U

macrumors G4
Jul 22, 2002
10,117
8,060
You sure think you know everything. The reason why there at times needs to be regulation is when a company has too much power and acts in a monopolistic fashion. Apple has tried to create something it can defend as not a monopoly but it definitely acts like a duopoly with Google at the top.
No, I just use search engines for things that I’m not sure about. To ensure I don’t go posting things like “The government needs to get involved in the smartphone markets because that’s what free markets are all about!” Can you define in what way Apple has acted in a monopolistic fashion? Have they attempted to curtail development of applications for other OS’s? Have they forced any handset makers out of business? Or, do they just make a thing that people want and people who want it buy it?

Anyways, in three years Apple will no longer have the vast power in all methods it does now. It will be regulated away. Most of that will be to the benefit of the consumers, and sometimes the consumers need a break as the top 1% and the Apple executives are the ones taking in all the money.

I seriously doubt you’re one of them…
Apple doesn’t have vast powers. What are these vast powers you think they have? PC’s are unaffected by Apple. Android is unaffected by Apple. In fact, Apple’s biggest weakness, some would say, is their platform is too restricted and that’s what provides Android with an opening.

Loosen those restrictions (which are the reasons folks choose Android) and folks like you may see Apple going from around half marketshare in the US to 70 or 80%. I mean, it doesn’t matter to me one way or the other because I’m in favor of the free market (letting the market decide). If the market doesn’t want what I want, then I’m fine with that. But I WILL have a hearty chortle if one of the outcomes is that Apple’s products become more and more popular, not only in the US but worldwide due to the decreased restrictions. :)
 

OnawaAfrica

Cancelled
Jul 26, 2019
470
377
Apple should preemptively:
  • Reduce the App Store fee to 15% flat.
  • Allow every developers to use external in-app-purchase and subscription through their API, further reducing their fee to 10%.
  • Provide more analytics to developers, with direct support and refund options.
  • Allow apps to be installed outside the App Store, but through a scheme similar to Apple Developer Enterprise Program. If necessary, further restrictions to apps installed outside the App Store, perhaps every options in Privacy & Security settings (e.g., Camera/Photos, Health, HomeKit, Contacts, etc.)
Privacy & Security options are only shown what the app is requesting. if a app never request or has any code that uses for example the microphone then it will never show up in Privacy & Security
 
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AppliedMicro

macrumors 68020
Aug 17, 2008
2,282
2,606
and there’s not enough people that want what you want
So you claim. We could hold a vote: „Should Apple have the exclusive power to decide what applications can be installed on iOS - or should applications be installable freely, such as on other OS (Windows, macOS, Linux).
It’s when a company uses a market advantage in one area to control an unrelated market
That’s the issue that will be regulated: application software markets have (for decades) been related but independent markets (from OS and hardware). And it has had hugely benefited innovation and pricing for customers.

Apple has chosen to bundle or „fuse“ hardware, OS and distribution of application software into one platform and control it all by themselves in monopolist fashion. That is obviously not illegal - but it should be.
People who own smartphones and have access to third party stores don’t use them. By a HUGE margin.
The fact that checks and balances aren’t needed for most users and situations doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t exist.Alternative methods of app distribution are checks and balances on Apple‘s behaviour and pricing.
Or creating incentives that make it more likely that companies would create more smartphone OS competition
Operating systems are a market that’s (basically) naturally converging onto few options.

When people or governments want and benefit from competition in the market for automotive vehicles, that doesn‘t mean that more mutually incompatible underlying platforms should exist.
Have they attempted to curtail development of applications for other OS’s?
They have curtailed development of applications (and functionality within applications) for their own OS. Which, along with Google‘s Android constitutes a duopoly.
 
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