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Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

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Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#111
post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I won't deny that there are many many users that do not care. However, I disagree that there is a real choice in the current duopoly. Android allows you to install applications outside the app store. However, you trade this possibility for continuous data harvesting by Google and only a limited window of updates. So, the choice is largely: some freedom ^ (privacy | long-term updates) Freedom, privacy, and long-term u…

Just because you aren't having all your desires perfectly catered to does not mean that there is not real choice. It means that, like everything else in life, you have to make tradeoffs.

Exactly. That's what grownups do.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#112
post #85
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They will most likely be scammed into downloading spyware.

Darn, this is really "think of the kids" all over. You don't need to download spyware with virtually any mobile phone, pretty much everyone out there is doing already(recent ref: google maps)

I think Google Maps is in a different league when we're talking about actual spyware that means to do you harm. Google just wants to track your location, while this other crap will spam you phone calls and try to brick your phone for money.

I'm all for more freedoms when installing apps, but Google Maps isn't the same as this other shit.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#113
post #10

Apple and Google not only created the device and funded the R & D for the features, but also created the APIs, the tools, the infrastructure, and attracted the (hundreds of millions of) users. The 30% cut they ask of developers is more than reasonable. Want to bypass that cut? Build a web app and make it play well on mobile. If you want to run it on Android and iOS devices, then I don't really see how anyone can say…

Apple and Google not only created the device and funded the R & D for the features, but also created the APIs, the tools, the infrastructure, and attracted the (hundreds of millions of) users. The 30% cut they ask of developers is more than reasonable. Want to bypass that cut? Build a web app and make it play well on mobile. I can understand the argument that they should accept the 30% cut to be listed in and downloa…

> the owner should be allowed (morally) to install software outside the app store

The inability to do this is a feature. I don’t want my phone to run random garbage like Android does. The curated app store is the main reason I keep buying iPhones.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#114
post #10

Apple and Google not only created the device and funded the R & D for the features, but also created the APIs, the tools, the infrastructure, and attracted the (hundreds of millions of) users. The 30% cut they ask of developers is more than reasonable. Want to bypass that cut? Build a web app and make it play well on mobile. If you want to run it on Android and iOS devices, then I don't really see how anyone can say…

> The 30% cut they ask of developers is more than reasonable.

If only we could prove this. Ie, is Apple honestly selling $1,200 phones for a loss such that they need to recoup money from the App Store to turn a profit? If they didn't take the %30 cut, would they still be profitable?

I'm not proving a point, simply asking questions I'm curious about. Would be neat if we knew these answers.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#115
post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I won't deny that there are many many users that do not care. However, I disagree that there is a real choice in the current duopoly. Android allows you to install applications outside the app store. However, you trade this possibility for continuous data harvesting by Google and only a limited window of updates. So, the choice is largely: some freedom ^ (privacy | long-term updates) Freedom, privacy, and long-term u…

Just because you aren't having all your desires perfectly catered to does not mean that there is not real choice. It means that, like everything else in life, you have to make tradeoffs.

I really think we should ask more of technology rather than to just accept Locked-Thing vs Spy-Thing. It's practically an imposed dichotomy, and people deserve better.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#116
post #10

Apple and Google not only created the device and funded the R & D for the features, but also created the APIs, the tools, the infrastructure, and attracted the (hundreds of millions of) users. The 30% cut they ask of developers is more than reasonable. Want to bypass that cut? Build a web app and make it play well on mobile. If you want to run it on Android and iOS devices, then I don't really see how anyone can say…

They uh, could charge for the operating system if they wanted to recoup their costs. Or, they could have their app store with their 30% cut, and allow other app stores to be available. Google does this, it solves 99% of the problems available, and seems to be an OK balance. Apple totally disallows this, has a draconian policy, and does everything in their power to make sideloading borderline impossible - oh, and prev…

1) My ISP got a hefty chunk of my tax dollars to run those lines.

2) They have a monopoly. Rules are different for monopolies.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#117
post #57
post #10

Apple and Google not only created the device and funded the R & D for the features, but also created the APIs, the tools, the infrastructure, and attracted the (hundreds of millions of) users. The 30% cut they ask of developers is more than reasonable. Want to bypass that cut? Build a web app and make it play well on mobile. If you want to run it on Android and iOS devices, then I don't really see how anyone can say…

> Apple and Google not only created the device and funded the R & D for the features, but also created the APIs, the tools, the infrastructure, and attracted the (hundreds of millions of) users. The 30% cut they ask of developers is more than reasonable. I follow you up until the 30% cut. Users are already paying for the hardware and software. Why is Apple taking a continual cut for value produced by other parties ?…

They made a bet that the platform was worth more than any individual app. Seems to be working out so far. Prove 'em wrong.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#118
post #56
post #10

Apple and Google not only created the device and funded the R & D for the features, but also created the APIs, the tools, the infrastructure, and attracted the (hundreds of millions of) users. The 30% cut they ask of developers is more than reasonable. Want to bypass that cut? Build a web app and make it play well on mobile. If you want to run it on Android and iOS devices, then I don't really see how anyone can say…

I don’t know how this came to be accepted as normal. I’m older so I remember when you used to buy a device or OS and software to run on it separately. What you paid for the device or OS was what funded those things. There is no reason why the same shouldn’t be true for Apple iOS/iPhone and Google Android/whatever-they’re-stopping-support-for-next. App Store takes a cut to use the App Store? Fine. But a reasonable cut…

They would have to have a monopoly first, yes? Otherwise you're just asking for tighter regulations across the board.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#119
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They will most likely be scammed into downloading spyware.

Which is a valuable lesson - a lesson in learning to be a rational, critical, grown-up human being. Or we could educate them and it might never happen. Also, let's not forget that many closed system are spyware already. Many of us became deeply involved in tech because some person (thanks Pat Volkerding!) or organization gave us a system were we could do whatever the hell we wanted.

Yeah, agreed.

A lot of computer knowledge comes from trying something, failing, and then learning how to recover.

I learned a lot from bricking my laptop in my early teens downloading roms and warez, and then understanding whats safe and what's not, and with little long term consequences.

Re: Netflix is the latest company to try bypassing Apple’s app store

#120
post #9
post #6

Doesn't this violate the App Store guidelines? > Section 3.1.3(b) Multiplatform Services: > Apps that operate across multiple platforms may allow users to access content, subscriptions, or features they have acquired elsewhere, including consumable items in multi-platform games, provided those items are also available as in-app purchases within the app. You must not directly or indirectly target iOS users to use a pu…

Given that Spotify, a direct competitor to an Apple service, is allowed to remain while also breaking this rule makes it seem like this won't be enforced in Netflix's case. But who knows, maybe when Apple launches their video service they'll come down on both companies, and we'll see what happens.

They will enforce on anyone that won't make international headlines by punting from app store, which is to say 99.99% of developers.
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