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Rethinking the App Store

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Re: Rethinking the App Store

#101

Post by scarface74 »

Santosh83 wrote: post #52

Here's an open secret. Most people globally buy an iDevice because it has become a fashion symbol, a status symbol and the peer pressure is huge to sport one, once you reach the financial ability to buy them. It has little to do with otherwise non-technical people somehow appreciating the technical nuances of security, curation, walled gardens, sideloading and so on.

People have been accusing Apple devices of being a fashion symbol since the first iPod came out. In the US, Apple has 45% market share. How is anything with that type of market share a status symbol.

Re: Rethinking the App Store

#102

Post by scarface74 »

SllX wrote: post #10
tonyedgecombe wrote: post #5

In short, what is needed are new laws built for the Internet, which is why it was encouraging that Congress is holding hearings about these issues, and also frustrating that Apple received relatively little attention. That's because the Google and FB monopolies are a much bigger problem. If you don't like Apple then there are plenty of other choices. It's much harder to avoid Google or Facebook.

Avoiding Facebook and Google is trivial; the reason people use their services is they get value from their services.

And that’s not the reason people choose iPhones?

Re: Rethinking the App Store

#103

Post by specialist »

Much as I love Ben Thompson, this is rearranging the deck chairs while the Titanic is sinking. Or maybe arguing about which dinner fork the gorilla should use while it's eating you.

Treat the App Store like any other modern open market. Apply real world market rules to all these digital markets.

- rule of law. contracts, civil, business, etc.

- fair and impartial judiciary

- right of appeal

- regulations to ensure equal footing of participants

- tort

Etc.

Voila, fixed.

A bit more discipline is needed to rationalize Google, Facebook, and Amazon. Starting with no self-dealing (conflicts of interest). And the social networks need particular mitigations to deweaponize their outrage engine feedback loops.

This is all pretty simple, obvious stuff.

Seriously, am I the only person whose read books like The Mystery of Capital?

Why are so many self-proclaimed capitalists so painfully oblivious to liberal and neoliberal traditions?

Re: Rethinking the App Store

#105

Post by pwinnski »

supermatt wrote: post #13

I am of the opinion that the only fair option is to allow 3rd party stores with the same permissions as the official app store. Apples curation isn't (as they suggest) preventing malware, theft of information, etc - this if verifiably false given recent history with apps like tiktok stealing clipboard content. The ability to change content of payment screens post-approval (as epic have just done) also means that cura…

I have definitely come around on this. I can see a case for making adding a third-party story cumbersome, and having Apple still control the "certificates," let's say, for each store, but yes, I agree, there need to be alternatives.

It still seems awkward to say that Apple must allow for competitors, but they're a $2 trillion company now, and I think rules are just weird for companies of that size.

Re: Rethinking the App Store

#106

Post by cblconfederate »

scarface74 wrote: post #101
Santosh83 wrote: post #52

Here's an open secret. Most people globally buy an iDevice because it has become a fashion symbol, a status symbol and the peer pressure is huge to sport one, once you reach the financial ability to buy them. It has little to do with otherwise non-technical people somehow appreciating the technical nuances of security, curation, walled gardens, sideloading and so on.

People have been accusing Apple devices of being a fashion symbol since the first iPod came out. In the US, Apple has 45% market share. How is anything with that type of market share a status symbol.

Remember blackberry?

(why is it an accusation btw? if anything it's a good thing)

Re: Rethinking the App Store

#107

Post by wayneftw »

jpttsn wrote: post #59
fierarul wrote: post #50

Interesting this is not positioned as a civil rights issue too. I understand, you have a developer company vs Apple. But what about people buying these computing gadgets? The millions upon millions of them. Shouldn't they have the right to run whatever software they feel like it on this general purpose computing OS without Apple's forced intermediation?

iOS is not sold as a general purpose computing OS. It’s been clear from day one. People use products way beyond their original purpose, and then feel entitled to the manufacturer’s support. Like eating candy for every meal, and then complaining that it’s not good nutrition.

Some shady car manufacturers tried to stop people from being able to buy after market parts for their cars and our legal system put a stop to that.

So, given that phones are easily as important as cars, I have confidence that we'll get justice for Apple's anti-consumer behavior too.

Re: Rethinking the App Store

#108

Post by OctopusLupid »

guytv wrote: post #53
bluesign wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having 3rd party stores will be net negative for me as a user. Currently I have trust to Apple, if I am or my kid charged wrong or tricked into some subscription etc, I have proof with experience that Apple will fix it. Now let’s say if we have many stores, some stores will try to be smart, will make exclusive deals, force people to install their stores to maybe play a one popular game. As a user I will end up with 1…

Exactly. That's the price of freedom. Are you willing to pay it? or sacrifice your freedom for convenience? Most people, I suspect, will choose the latter.

You don't speak for most people.

Re: Rethinking the App Store

#109

Post by TheJoeMan »

joking wrote: post #27
supermatt wrote: post #13

I am of the opinion that the only fair option is to allow 3rd party stores with the same permissions as the official app store. Apples curation isn't (as they suggest) preventing malware, theft of information, etc - this if verifiably false given recent history with apps like tiktok stealing clipboard content. The ability to change content of payment screens post-approval (as epic have just done) also means that cura…

I'm on the same opinion, once the device is mine I should be able to install whatever I want. What would happen if I couldn't install the software I want on a desktop device? I really don't get how apple has survived so long with such a tight leash on IOS.

Also, what happened to PWA’s? That would be a great way to open up the ecosystem

Re: Rethinking the App Store

#110

Post by emsy »

dkersten wrote: post #65
supermatt wrote: post #13

I am of the opinion that the only fair option is to allow 3rd party stores with the same permissions as the official app store. Apples curation isn't (as they suggest) preventing malware, theft of information, etc - this if verifiably false given recent history with apps like tiktok stealing clipboard content. The ability to change content of payment screens post-approval (as epic have just done) also means that cura…

I agree with this. The only winners in the current situation are Apple. By opening it up to competitor app stores, yes competitors would benefit, but so would developers and so would their users. The App Store as it stands has completely stagnated to the point where it’s useless to me outside of actually downloading or buying an app. It’s been years since I’ve been able to discover new apps though it, now relying for…

The stagnation is also due to the fact that no developer would take a lot of cash up front to make a innovative app at the risk of Apple banning it from the store.
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