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I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

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Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#231

Post by scarface74 »

detaro wrote: post #224
scarface74 wrote: post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He linked to his initial complaint about why Apple rejected his app. My app has been repeatedly rejected because I do not offer free in-app trials (but offer money-back guarantee on my website) and also do not offer in-apps purchases. I asked if I offered in-app purchases, would the app be approved? No, since I offer 3-day money-back guarantee on website-based purchses, I must ALSO offer a free trial in the app. But…

Now I get what happened... Look again: He (/u/egocentric) linked to his HN submission of his twitter thread about his experience. What you are referencing is the top comment in the that discussion, by someone else (/u/TedDoesntTalk) talking about their app. So your (understandable) ire is directed at the wrong person here.

You are correct. Handlers were always a little bit more confusing than pointers....

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#232

Post by fomine3 »

ponker wrote: post #171
zepto wrote: post #122

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The mechanisms used by Hey and xCloud would clearly be used by less trustworthy companies for nefarious purposes. Hey was able to alter their app trivially to comply with the guidelines, so it actually represents nothing at all here. xCloud can’t be altered to comply, but nevertheless if app steaming were allowed in general, all of App review could be bypassed by bad actors.

If the app review process is supposed to ban objectionable content then why is Netflix allowed? What stops Netflix from putting bestiality porn on their service (and thus onto iDevices) any more than Microsoft putting objectionable games on xCloud? Simply, because Apple knows that iPhones are commercially unviable without Netflix. Don’t accept the bullshit Apple offers for the App Store. It has always been about the…

AppStore guideline is too arbitrary for Apple.

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#233

Post by gerash »

overeater wrote: post #37
mhafez17 wrote: post #29

Wow. I am the author of this email. I have no idea how it resurfaced after 5 years, I was only made aware of this when a friend emailed me the HN link. The sad thing is it was not just my company which was targeted, but Apple removed this entire product category. We never knew the real reason why, or if it was bigger than just a random app reviewer trying to apply Apple policy, until May 2019. That's when Bloomberg i…

My sympathies. That's a really sad story. I don't know if it's any consolation that it was at least discussed among the executives. I don't know why you originally eschewed the web. I've developed on closed platforms in the past: Facebook (when Facebook games like Farmville and Mafia Wars were crazy hot), Silverlight, OpenSocial, Twitter, and now Google Apps Script. My work is always worthless in 2-3 years, and what…

IIUC a web app is essentially a some very old though popular protocols plus a web browser as the runtime. IMO it will always lag behind a native app in terms of access to OS capabilities and runtime efficiency.

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#234

Post by zepto »

fomine3 wrote: post #230
zepto wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not just about objectionable content - it’s also about fraud. Apps can be used for fraud in ways that video cannot.

So Safari is top attack surface, why don't they ban Safari?

Because people know the difference between websites and apps.

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#235

Post by sukilot »

eptcyka wrote: post #216
nautilus12 wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Should also be a lesson to anyone trying to build a third party platform that if you build a walled garden, people will start to resent it

Conversely, we wouldn't be here bickering about such platforms if it wasn't immensely profitable. So, depending on your morals, it's a lesson on what to aim for. I wouldn't run a platform that stifles use, but I'm sure there are industrious people who will be able to exploit such a business _device_ to bring more good into the world.

Industrious people like Steve Jobs, Tim Cook, Larry Page, and Sundar Pichai?

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#236

Post by im3w1l »

csa wrote: post #93
WWLink wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't mind one of those. Especially if it helped me find games that don't have in-app purchases and don't have in-game advertising. I'd buy those. But it's fucking impossible to find them.

I think the idea behind this ban (could be wrong) is that Apple wants to be the main (only?) app-based curator of apps. It lets them control the narrative and flow of money.

It becomes a lot harder to justify a 30% cut should 3rd party apps drive the majority of downloads.

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#237

Post by gerash »

The legislation I'd get behind is to enforce import / export of data across platforms a la. Google takeout but better where you can both export and import with a single click.

That is, rather than getting into some abstract arguments on what an App store should or shouldn't do the focus should be on lowering the cost of switching mobile / wearable computing platforms down to a single click of a button.

There is no issue with making an ecosystem more appealing by making them well integrated but there has to be an out of some kind for the consumer.

All those "Their app store, their rule" arguments don't hold water if you compare it to, say, AT&T holding your phone number hostage and claiming that they're not a monopoly and you can switch to another carrier but need to use a new phone number if you do.

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#238

Post by sukilot »

kevincox wrote: post #168
Hamuko wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I still don't understand those. I paid god damn 1200 euro for this phone. Why am I seeing ads for shitty apps?

Because 2% more money is %2 more money and exec compensation is often based on fairly short term performance.

How long is short term? Jobs has been dead for 9 years.

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#239

Post by wakenmeng »

ransom1538 wrote: post #194
mhafez17 wrote: post #29

Wow. I am the author of this email. I have no idea how it resurfaced after 5 years, I was only made aware of this when a friend emailed me the HN link. The sad thing is it was not just my company which was targeted, but Apple removed this entire product category. We never knew the real reason why, or if it was bigger than just a random app reviewer trying to apply Apple policy, until May 2019. That's when Bloomberg i…

1) I worked at a game company 2011: kicked out of facebook (quizzes restrictions were added to the toss) 2) I worked at a mobile ads company 2013: kicked out of apple store 3) I worked at a mobile hosting company for small shops 2015: salons, restaurants, etc: kicked out of apple store 4) I worked at a mobile social network company (2017): kicked out of apple store. 5) I built an app where people can promote their gi…

Just wonder, what are you gonna do next? You know, just my simple curiousity;)

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#240

Post by TedDoesntTalk »

ssalazar wrote: post #223
tomc1985 wrote: post #116

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Honestly, making fun of old platforms like the web (which isn't even that old) suggests that the writer is the kind of wide-eyed business huckster playing into Americans' cultural affinity for new tech, and folks like that are a huge chunk of the reason why we have so much technology churn today Old, mature technology is a treasure. Not something to make fun of

Web development absolutely epitomizes this same technology churn. Regardless if one personally sticks to older standards but its impossible to ignore the large section of commercial web applications that are just as much on the tech churn treadmill.

> just as much on the tech churn treadmill.

Really? I doubt you could run an app written for Android in 2010 (2.2 Froyo) today. But a website written in 2010 using HTML, Javascript, and CSS and no plugins will almost always work.

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