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Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

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Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#291
post #270

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple has been very clear that they would prefer to sell open formats, they managed to convince the music labels but not the video industry. So is your position that they should have refused to sell movies with those restrictions? If so, how do you reconcile that with you choosing to buy them?

Oy, it's an example, but I'll bite... Apple does not make their services available on anything other than Apple devices, nor do they allow other providers on their devices. Regardless of an open format for the content, I cannot choose to use another service without also completely changing platforms, and if I change platforms I cannot use Apple's service.

On the first point again DRM is foisted on Apple against their preference. We’ve seen what an unholy mess multi-vendor DRM systems look like from the debacle that was “Play For Sure” with every vendor blaming all the others for nothing working properly. Can you really blame Apple for not wanting to wade blindly into a quagmire like that?

Secondly, you can absolutely use other services on Apple devices such as playing music bought from Amazon in the Amazon Music app, or using Pandora or Spotify. I use audible on my iPhone, and there's a perfectly usable kindle app. Apple Music works on Android, and you can transfer music bought in iTunes to any other device. Sure there are some limitations, there's no native iCloud client for Linux and it's support on Windows through iTunes is limited, but eh. There's a limit to what I think it's reasonable to expect them to do to make life more tolerable on other people's stuff.

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#292

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any features that require root would still require root if installed from the Play Store. That is not relevant to the argument that you can always install things blocked from the Play Store by getting them from other sources. Moreover, the ad blocking features you get without root are a strict superset of the features that are possible at all on iOS.

It is relevant, because if it were a free platform you'd be able to do this kind of thing without circumventing the system software.

> It is relevant, because if it were a free platform you'd be able to do this kind of thing without circumventing the system software.

You can do it without "circumventing the system software." Unlocking the system partition is a supported operation. Then just install a program that lets you run other programs as uid 0. This is not possible for normal apps to do because running as uid 0 means you are no longer subject to the permissions system.

Also, it's irrelevant because the whole point is that Google can't block the user from running whatever apps they like by blocking the app from the Play Store. Requiring root access is orthogonal to Play Store availability.

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#293
post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Based on the entitled behavior in this thread, I seriously consider it. It it a cultural thing to feel entitled to other peoples work? Or just the agegroup of people on hacker news?

It's just a European thing. We want to get our hands on other peoples' work by any means possible. What can I say, it's just an evil continent with evil people.

Nationalistic flamewar will get you banned here, so please don't do it.

https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#294

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would you agree to those terms if you had a realistic alternative? Is this contract written in a way that provides equitable consideration to the user for the provisions that solely benefit Apple? Doesn't seem like it. The ability of Apple to include those take-it-or-leave-it terms suggests a dominant market position (strong market power) held by Apple, regardless of other mobile device platforms. The license is a "C…

> Would you agree to those terms if you had a realistic alternative? What do you mean? If one doesn't want to agree with such terms, there are quite many android alternatives, some of which even better than iPhone/iPad in certain aspects.

Sometimes you may be required to use iOS by an employer, client, or for a particular app.

Take it or leave it...

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#295

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes it is. Pretty much the same case was when Microsoft bundled internet explorer by default in Windows, which was detrimental to Netscape Navigator.

At that time virtually everyone was using windows though. There wasn't a competitor like Android is for iOS.

That’s just incorrect on the face of it. Linux and Mac have existed for as long as Windows, or longer. It’s pure opinion to say there were no competitors.

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#296
post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Alright, then how about removing Adblock from their stores? Android is a little better, but it's by no means totally free.

You can install android apps or chrome extensions from any source, not just the Google-managed store. This sounds minor, but its absolutely a major reason why the stores aren't monopolies. I find it startling how few people on HN remember the fact that stores have a right to decide what they want to sell and not. We don't live in communist Russia. Walmart doesn't have to sell Whole Foods-branded food, H&M doesn't hav…

You can also install ios apps by sideloading, it’s existed since at least ios9. Valve could release the binary and allow users to self install with just a drag and drop in itunes.

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#297
post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you're willing not only to download sideload apps but also to modify your device so you can have root access, then it works. So not really different from Apple.

You don't need to get root on an android device to sideload apps, unless the app has specific functionality that requires root. You don't need to break anything about the system or your warranty. Its just a toggle in the settings menu.

you don’t need root to sideload in ios either

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#298

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is relevant, because if it were a free platform you'd be able to do this kind of thing without circumventing the system software.

> It is relevant, because if it were a free platform you'd be able to do this kind of thing without circumventing the system software. You can do it without "circumventing the system software." Unlocking the system partition is a supported operation. Then just install a program that lets you run other programs as uid 0. This is not possible for normal apps to do because running as uid 0 means you are no longer subjec…

I don't need to use third-party software to enable UAC in Windows or sudo in Linux.

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#299

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It is relevant, because if it were a free platform you'd be able to do this kind of thing without circumventing the system software. You can do it without "circumventing the system software." Unlocking the system partition is a supported operation. Then just install a program that lets you run other programs as uid 0. This is not possible for normal apps to do because running as uid 0 means you are no longer subjec…

I don't need to use third-party software to enable UAC in Windows or sudo in Linux.

Their security model is different. They are multiuser OSes protecting users against each other, while Android started as a single user OS (despite what goes on with uids underneath) protecting users from themselves.

Users running their own apps as uid 0 goes directly against the security model. Nothing stops them from changing or completely discarding the security model on their own devices, but once again, that is completely orthogonal to blocking apps on the Play Store.

Re: Apple rejects Valve’s Steam Link game streaming app over ‘business conflicts’

#300
post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do you have the 'right' to access a private server without agreeing to a terms of use?

Well, because GDPR. They can block the EU entirely (after deleting all data they may have on EU subjects) or implement a compliant privacy policy. This is not. (if you click on the policy link, they will lie that it is in accordance with GDPR, but very clearly it is not).

No, GDPR does not invalidate the personal property rights of the server owner to only allow access to their server under a terms of use.

Sorry.

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