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Apple has locked me out of my developer account

rambo.codes

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Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#391

Post by bsder »

scarface74 wrote: post #362
bsder wrote: post #352

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is not strictly true even in the law. However, if we define the "market" as "places that you can legally purchase and install iOS device apps from", the App Store is close to 95%+ of the market share.

So can you give any examples in the US or the EU where such a definition has ever been used? In that case are all of the console makers “monopolies” since they have to approve both digital and physical media distributed on their platform? Does Apple also have a “monopoly” in the smart speaker market since they control what runs on the HomePod even though they are a distance third to Amazon and Google? What about the…

> In that case are all of the console makers “monopolies” since they have to approve both digital and physical media distributed on their platform?

Personally, I would say that they are monopolies. And people are starting to think about them that way because so many games now have an "always online" component. The problem is that even if I own a game disk, that game that I paid money for is suddenly worthless when Sony or Microsoft pull the plug on the online servers.

The issue is stronger with Google and Apple in that smart phones are almost reaching "necessity" level and you can't opt out. You either have Android, iOS or nothing.

We have been here before. Monopoly laws are not some immutable commandments from on high. Monopoly laws were passed in response to specific abuses in rail, steel, coal, etc. We will create new laws to deal with the current crop of abusers.

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#392

Post by sjwright »

saagarjha wrote: post #223
cmcd wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

with regards to the App Store being the only way to get apps on iOS The App Store is the only Apple supported way to release apps, there are unsupported third party app stores as well. Lack of transparency is not good, but I'm not sure what the issue is with there being only one officially supported way to download apps. It is Apple's product and software, they are selling the "Apple Experience" as much as the hardwa…

Apple would very much like that there was no way to jailbreak your device. It's not like they've purposefully left an "out" to install unauthorized software.

As someone who owns an iPhone and recommends iPhones to older family members with a wide spectrum of computer literacy, I'm very glad about that.

If you want freedom buy an Android.

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#393

Post by delfinom »

TylerE wrote: post #119
rmsaksida wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even if that's all true, and even if Apple has good reasons to lock his account, why not just tell him the reason? I don't understand why tech companies have this passive aggressive attitude when users violate their rules of witholding information and giving some vague canned responses when asked about what's going on. Just tell him what happened in detail.

Because that’s opsec 101. If you tell a bad actor how you caught them, you’re just telling them how to do better (sneakier) next time.

Bad actor who posts in the public, has his name both public and on his account. Yes. Must have taken Apple's engineering team months to find him.

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#394

Post by sjwright »

Reelin wrote: post #385
pdonis wrote: post #369

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Out compete Apple? You cant be serious. And if that's the answer, then devs who don't like how Apple manages their ecosystem should simply go find some other kind of coding to do.

Do you actually think it's an acceptable state of affairs for a company to be able to unilaterally put a non-competing and unrelated company out of business on a whim? Apple isn't a traditional distribution channel. If FedEx bans me, I can switch to UPS (or USPS, or ...); if Apple bans me, for all practical purposes I can't compete in the mobile space in the US anymore.

Is it a "whim" for Apple to act in accordance with their stated policy?

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#395

Post by dkonofalski »

anoncake wrote: post #343
dkonofalski wrote: post #187

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is nonsense. This isn't about limiting speech. It's about maintaining a business relationship. No one, individual or otherwise, has the right to force a business relationship, or any other relationship, between two people, entities, or companies unless both sides are willing to maintain it.

Of course you have a right to use the services companies provide! That's the whole point of allowing them to exist. Your approach just gives power to capitalists they shouldn't have. It's obviously not quite as clear-cut when it comes to relationships between individuals that have rights.

So, let me get this straight... You think that "free speech" protections provide a mechanism that forces companies to maintain relationships with people that they don't want to do business with? So, if someone is harassing employees, being damaging, or any litany of other inappropriate behaviors, that company is still required to provide service to that person because that person has a right to service?

You have not thought this through, at all...

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#396

Post by DaiPlusPlus »

a1369209993 wrote: post #360
saganus wrote: post #276

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the point is that there are other app stores in other platforms, so monopoly rules don't apply. Their app store is their monopoly, sure, but if you don't want to use Apple products you are not barred from using other cellphones and app stores. This is different than, e.g. saying that there is a monopoly with the electricity provider. If you don't want to use company A for that, you have absolutely no access t…

> the electricity provider I think the point is that there are other electricity providers in other areas, so monopoly rules don't apply. Their electric service is their monopoly, sure, but if you don't want to use company A electricity you are not barred from buying a house somewhere else, with a different electric service. This is different than, e.g. saying that there is a monopoly with the app store. If you don't…

Another analogy might be that Comcast don’t have a monopoly on Internet service in an area because you can always use dial-up or tether through your phone.

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#397

Post by DaiPlusPlus »

root_axis wrote: post #367
ouid wrote: post #219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are in complete control of the programs that you can install on your iphone, and take 30% of all transactions that occur through that marketplace. Are you a lawyer for apple?

Nintendo is in complete control of the programs you can install on your Switch. Sony is in complete control of the programs you can install on your PS4. Using your logic every platform is a monopoly.

It can be argued having a smartphone today is essential to participating in modern life in this country right now - having a games console is not.

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#398

Post by sjwright »

yjftsjthsd-h wrote: post #269
PhasmaFelis wrote: post #248

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not only are they not a monopoly, Apple doesn't even have the highest market share in the mobile space. (It's Samsung.)

Where? [0] says that Apple has 41% to Samsung's 21% in the United States. [0] https://www.counterpointresearch.com/us-market-smartphone-sh...

That's a red herring because the core of this dispute is the developer ecosystem, not the hardware. The competitor to Apple's ecosystem is Google, not Samsung.

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#399

Post by Reelin »

jmull wrote: post #218
hnarn wrote: post #49

It feels like I'm living in a bizarre world where this event is being parsed by so many people as "Apple can't lock any account they want, force them to apologize!", when what people should be saying is "Wow, monolithic software pipelines controlled by a corporation sure are bad and this is just one of many entirely predictable consequences"

> monolithic software pipelines controlled by a corporation sure are bad I would guess a lot of people wouldn't agree with that as a general statement. I suppose we can argue about what "bad" means. They certainly aren't perfect and have various drawbacks. On the other hand, where are the better software pipelines not controlled by corporations, all things considered? Keep in mind that people generally opt-in to the…

> where are the better software pipelines not controlled by corporations

You're joking, right? Any tool that allows you to configure your own trust roots qualifies: `apt install`, `flatpak install`, etc. Even most laptop SecureBoot implementations qualify at this point!

This isn't a dichotomy - of course Apple should police the apps they serve as a root for. The issue is having a monolithic pipeline that doesn't distinguish the vendor root from the tool itself. The F-Droid app store is a good example of one approach to addressing this problem on a mobile device.

Re: Apple has locked me out of my developer account

#400

Post by Razengan »

fjabre wrote: post #199

Ah the joys of being subjected to a dictator's whim. Apple can do as it wants when it wants for any reason it wants to regarding that app you may have poured a year of your life into. Our profitable SaaS web app has 1000s of paying users and those apps also run very well on mobile safari. We made a decision a long time ago as a company never to invest in iOS because of Apple's dictator like policies. We may develop a…

> Not only do we have the privilege of paying Apple to develop on their platform (that devs make more valuable to consumers) but we also have the privilege of paying Apple a 30% cut on virtual goods.

You'll always pay other companies a "cut" of your business, unless you've figured out a way to host your profitable Saas web app for free.

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