This is an impressive letter. It makes solid points, and it walks the fine line between emotional and reasonable.
I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]
11–20 of 369 posts
Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]
#12>I am in no way delusional enough to think we are partners or that Apple needs us in any respect. Of course we are insignificant to the success of Apple. Our departure from the App Store won't make even the tiniest blip. Of course I know that and this is no way meant to try to insinuate otherwise. "Oh Lord, oooh you are so big. So absolutely huge. Gosh, we're all really impressed down here I can tell you. Forgive us,…
This snarky response undermines the meaningful content found throughout the whole letter.
Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]
#13Since this is a recent release from the house investigation, I'm not sure if it should be marked 2015 or not. But it was sent in 2015. I also wonder if it had any affect. If anyone knows more details, that would be great to hear.
Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]
#14> In November last year the App Review team made it clear that our apps were not welcome in the Store anymore as they actively removed our main app from the Store. They pointed to the rule (2.26) created just a couple of years ago about what kind of apps can recommend apps other than its own (by the way I still believe my apps fit the description). We of course have been aware of this rule since it came out, as we al…
You seem to not be interested in living with your right to install any app you want on your device, which is fine. But do you also believe that other people should not have the right to install software that has not been blessed by an authority on their devices?
Do you think that general purpose computing devices, which an iPhone is, should no longer have the capability to run software without third-party auditing and approval?
You are free to stay in the walled garden if you wish, but I think there is something disturbing about rallying for others to also lose the rights that are not important to you.
Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]
#15> In November last year the App Review team made it clear that our apps were not welcome in the Store anymore as they actively removed our main app from the Store. They pointed to the rule (2.26) created just a couple of years ago about what kind of apps can recommend apps other than its own (by the way I still believe my apps fit the description). We of course have been aware of this rule since it came out, as we al…
You seem to not be interested in living with your right to install any app you want on your device, which is fine. But do you also believe that other people should not have the right to install software that has not been blessed by an authority on their devices? Do you think that general purpose computing devices, which an iPhone is, should no longer have the capability to run software without third-party auditing an…
This is a boring, off-topic response. You can litigate the entire concept of app review anywhere, and you can attach a response like this to practically any comment supporting any app review rule. A better response would take direct aim at the guideline this comment is referring to.
Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]
#16> In November last year the App Review team made it clear that our apps were not welcome in the Store anymore as they actively removed our main app from the Store. They pointed to the rule (2.26) created just a couple of years ago about what kind of apps can recommend apps other than its own (by the way I still believe my apps fit the description). We of course have been aware of this rule since it came out, as we al…
You seem to not be interested in living with your right to install any app you want on your device, which is fine. But do you also believe that other people should not have the right to install software that has not been blessed by an authority on their devices? Do you think that general purpose computing devices, which an iPhone is, should no longer have the capability to run software without third-party auditing an…
> You seem to not be interested in living with your right to install any app you want on your device
I am unclear on how you have made that inference based on me saying that I do not want deceptive advertising in apps.
> Do you think that general purpose computing devices, which an iPhone is, should no longer have the capability to run software without third-party auditing and approval?
No, I think that if users _want_ to download malware, spyware, or simply ad-laden apps, then they should certainly have the capability to do so (hence, sideloading). My suspicions however, is that outside of malware researchers, users do not want this.
Meanwhile, do you think that users should be exposed to deceptive advertising in their apps?
Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]
#17Earlier quoted context omitted.
You seem to not be interested in living with your right to install any app you want on your device, which is fine. But do you also believe that other people should not have the right to install software that has not been blessed by an authority on their devices? Do you think that general purpose computing devices, which an iPhone is, should no longer have the capability to run software without third-party auditing an…
This is a boring, off-topic response. You can litigate the entire concept of app review anywhere, and you can attach a response like this to practically any comment supporting any app review rule. A better response would take direct aim at the guideline this comment is referring to.
The main issue is not the app review process, but the missing alternatives to the App Store on iPhones, and I think arguing about more just App Store rules is not the solution, but a distraction to our eroding right to control our own devices.
Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is a boring, off-topic response. You can litigate the entire concept of app review anywhere, and you can attach a response like this to practically any comment supporting any app review rule. A better response would take direct aim at the guideline this comment is referring to.
The main issue is not the app review process, but the missing alternatives to the App Store on iPhones, and I think arguing about more just App Store rules is not the solution, but a distraction to our eroding right to control our own devices.
> the missing alternatives to the App Store on iPhones
Get an Android phone and use the Play Store (or any of the 3rd party Android stores). The magic of a smartphone isn't only on iPhone and there's nothing you can do on iPhone that you can't do elsewhere.
Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]
#19I mean, there’s a point to be made about how much monopoly power Apple holds, and it’s now clear these questions weren’t asked until now because lawmakers were really sweet on the maker of their shiny iPhone - but this letter ain’t it.
The author is grovelling to the point of it being honestly pitiful. The amount of derogatory references to the web and Android also make it really hard for me not to question the motivation behind this letter.
It’s transparently from an author who built their entire business on the shoulders of a single third party and is now horrified in realising it’s been taken away.
If anything, the lesson to be learned here is that if your business depends exclusively on another company for its survival then it’s not your business.
To the authors point - yes, Apple can change it’s policies whenever it likes, and can use those policies to kill other companies it views as competing with it’s own interests.
This in itself isn’t news. Dropbox got flat out told by Steve Jobs to sell immediately for whatever he felt generous enough to give them or he’d crush them with a competitor. There was a podcast recently wherein someone who sold to Apple (I’m sorry I can’t remember who it was, will try to dig it out and update) got his deal reduced by 25% or so by Steve Jobs in person - after accepting it and flying out to Cupertino just because Jobs could and he wanted to make a point.
This isn’t new information or a new policy, although maybe it’ll be a fairer playing field now that the hornet’s nest has received a good kicking.
Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
This is a boring, off-topic response. You can litigate the entire concept of app review anywhere, and you can attach a response like this to practically any comment supporting any app review rule. A better response would take direct aim at the guideline this comment is referring to.
The main issue is not the app review process, but the missing alternatives to the App Store on iPhones, and I think arguing about more just App Store rules is not the solution, but a distraction to our eroding right to control our own devices.
> our eroding right to control our own devices.
If you want to frame this as an ideological debate over freedom of user choice, instead of a very specific debate about a very specific App Store rule (even though the latter, and not the former, is what the email in the OP is about), then sure: you have the choice to select a device with a tightly-controlled ecosystem. You also have the choice not to. It was your choice to obtain this device, knowing full well that it would be tightly controlled. Or if you didn't know, you also have the right to return the device and no longer use it.