Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store

theverge.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

321–330 of 1001 posts

Re: Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store

#321

Post by hu3 »

vortico wrote: post #301

I'm a software developer considering releasing a mobile version of my software. Is there a way to completely bypass the iOS app store and allow users to download and install iOS apps from Safari? I hear stories like this all the time and don't want to touch the App Store one bit. Can this be done with Android? Perhaps I could release for Android-only and allow the app to be downloaded with Chrome.

Android's let's you download the app from any website. No questions asked. And the app can charge you without giving Google a single dime.

For example I can go to itch.io and download this game directly to my phone: https://majorariatto.itch.io/pureya

Re: Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store

#322

Post by ngngngng »

simonh wrote: post #290
lordleft wrote: post #6

Imagine if Microsoft did this on PCs. a) prohibiting the installation of non-windows store software (sideloading) and b) insisting that all purchases done via apps give them a 30% cut. I think this is a ridiculous practice on the behalf of Apple.

Microsoft already does exactly this on console. When will we see the Google Stadia game streaming app on the XBOX? Does Microsoft really not take a cut of VBucks bought on the Microsoft store? This is just three big corporations fighting over their respective slices of the pie, if you think any of this is being said or done for your benefit I’m sure Epic has a plentiful supply of really tasty Koolaid for you. But no…

> Microsoft already does exactly this on console.

I never thought about it like this. It could be viewed differently because the Xbox is a game console and the iphone is a general handheld computer, but perhaps it should be illegal to restrict users installing software on your device by any means they choose, though there's no reason for you to support those means.

Re: Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store

#323

Post by scarface74 »

cromwellian wrote: post #295
Seirdy wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It could be the case if AMP grows dominant; given the market share of Google Search, it could be enough to create a controlled (er, "curated") web in a similar spirit.

So you're proposing diverting the conversation to a theoretical that has little chance of happening but not discussing the actual example that's happening right now? App Stores suck. App Stores with no side-loading are even worse. Platforms that are locked down so much that you can't even install your own OS are worse. We used to bitch about Tivoization on HN all the time, it seems post iPhone, everyone seems A-OK.

You are not forced to buy an iPhone - in fact 85% of the world doesn’t.

In every day life, the number of people who think “App Stores suck” is infinitesimal.

Re: Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store

#324

Post by wombatmobile »

simonh wrote: post #290
lordleft wrote: post #6

Imagine if Microsoft did this on PCs. a) prohibiting the installation of non-windows store software (sideloading) and b) insisting that all purchases done via apps give them a 30% cut. I think this is a ridiculous practice on the behalf of Apple.

Microsoft already does exactly this on console. When will we see the Google Stadia game streaming app on the XBOX? Does Microsoft really not take a cut of VBucks bought on the Microsoft store? This is just three big corporations fighting over their respective slices of the pie, if you think any of this is being said or done for your benefit I’m sure Epic has a plentiful supply of really tasty Koolaid for you. But no…

> This is just three big corporations fighting over their respective slices of the pie

Yes, this is how capitalism works. The companies can be started by virtuous, far-sighted dreamers, like Steve Wozniak, Larry Page and John Lennon, but then they get infused by money from venture capitalists and investors who just want ROI.

Once they hire more than 5000 people, the edges of the company are not controlled by dreamers - worker bees are employed to make money by leveraging whatever is there to be leveraged. And so the mission drifts.

Or else, the company fails or disappears, which is what happened to John Lennon's company, Apple Music.

We need to rethink capitalism, so companies can grow to medium size, and stay there, providing good things to their customers in a virtuous, mutually beneficial way.

Re: Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store

#325

Post by nouveaux »

For those who are arguing that Apple should allow third party developers to have their own marketplace without Apple taking a cut, should:

- Ebay allow for a third party marketplace to exist without them getting a cut?

-PayPal, chase, stripe allow third party developers to offer up their own payment services without the respective companies take a cut?

Also by the same token, Amazon is a monopoly by taking a percentage fee and should allow competitors to sell on their platform without taking a listing fee. Is this not the same thing?

Re: Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store

#326

Post by cloogshicer »

jiggawatts wrote: post #291

I have a stupid question: If Apple pulls an app from the store, but doesn't forcibly uninstall it from phones, what happens if that app then needs a security update? Can the developer still update their app, or is it stuck in update limbo?

Dev with iOS experience here. Depends a bit on the case, but usually it means stuck in update limbo.

You can request faster reviews for critical security bugs, but as far as I know, if you're rejected for guideline violations, you're stuck until you alleviate those violations.

This is actually another problem with the whole review process: There often isn't a clear guideline/way to tell. You can submit an update that goes through quickly, or wait for months, without knowing why. Valve, the company that runs Steam, also had horror stories about this. They published the Steam Chat app (not a store) and had to wait for months for approval, apparently without being able to talk to anyone at Apple.

Re: Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store

#327

Post by scarface74 »

Ziggy_Zaggy wrote: post #302
Seirdy wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It could be the case if AMP grows dominant; given the market share of Google Search, it could be enough to create a controlled (er, "curated") web in a similar spirit.

Ppl still use Google for searches? Mind.blown.

Yes and people still watch TV.

Did you think your feigned ignorance was insightful? Google has 86% market share.

Re: Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store

#328

Post by scarface74 »

paulnechifor wrote: post #263
rvz wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even worse. Imagine if the World Wide Web was not open and you had to go through a closed WWW like AOL and websites were "under review" by the providers and would take a 30% cut of your revenues or clicks on your web app or subscription service and websites require going only through that provider. Thank goodness that wasn't the case.

Even worse. Imagine millions of people knowing this and still buying these inferior phones.

Well, could it possibly be that people really don’t care about side loading apps?

Re: Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store

#330

Post by addled »

lordleft wrote: post #6

Imagine if Microsoft did this on PCs. a) prohibiting the installation of non-windows store software (sideloading) and b) insisting that all purchases done via apps give them a 30% cut. I think this is a ridiculous practice on the behalf of Apple.

This got me wondering... What happens when the price of an in-app purchase is negative? Does Apple pay the developer 30%?
Post reply on HN