Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store • Hacker News Board

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#181

Post by devdas » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 4:29 PM UTC

actuator wrote: post #97

diego_moita wrote: post #56

I welcome this. It will be messy, it will open oportunities to corruption, lobbying, crappy user experiences, unsafe apps, government abuse, nationalism, ... it is really a Pandora box. But mess can be a fertile ground for competition and innovation when excessive regulation blocks it. Today's app stores are just feature development labs for Apple & Google. There is no chance that anyone will be able to create a big…

I am just puzzled about one bit of this, why the hue and cry few days back about this. Don't Android App stores like the Amazon one already exist? What's stopping these devs to even distribute the apps themselves? iOS is a different matter but Android has always allowed this. Not sure if they exist in India, but I have seen Android phones come with non Google App Store as well.

This enables tax revenues for the Indian government.

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#182

Post by indymike » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 4:30 PM UTC

abrbhat wrote: post #82

It seems most people are arguing that the only alternative to 2 app stores is a large number of app stores. But what if the alternative is no app stores? Anyone can install whatever software they want on their device from wherever they want it. Just like it works for desktops. The need for app stores is an artificially created need (by the marketing brilliance of Jobs).

The real problem with app stores is that selling your software direct to the user is a solved problem. In many casees the e-commerce platform you use to sell your own software is better than the app stores for the seller (and in many cases the buyer). There really isn't much value until you start bundling the developer tools and libraries. Most of those libraries are derivative or are open source. So developers are trading no real (sorry but Apple's $100 is de minimus) up front costs for a percentage fee paid by the customer at each sale. This is probably optimal for small teams and solo devs...

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#183

Post by vlovich123 » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 4:31 PM UTC

m-p-3 wrote: post #168

simonh wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

WeChat mini-programs don't actually run as native code on the phone though. They're much more like web apps running on the WeChat back end, with WecChat acting as a browser to access them. Roblox does a similar thing, with interactive games from third parties running on the Roblox servers in the virtual environment. A third party app store where you install native code apps on the phone, directly accessing phone OS s…

The same thing could be said of game streaming apps like Stadia (all the game code is running remotely) but are forbidden in the App Store. It's hard to take Apple seriously when they do shit like this.

They aren’t forbidden anymore. [1]

It is weird they’re making it so that each game you’ve bought needs a separate App Store entry, especially since the local code is all the same and a thin shim. That being said, the same rules are in effect for Apple’s own game platform so maybe there’s a specific reason (eg uniform experience for any app, they can properly promote individual titles in the App Store instead of allowing walled gardens within its platform that it can’t see into.

https://www.engadget.com/apple-app-store-google-stadia-xclou...

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#184

Post by indymike » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 4:33 PM UTC

risyachka wrote: post #73

echopom wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a bit exaggerated I think , you would get just "One Side Store" Per country or Region. That would be such a big victory. Personally I would not complain about the bureaucratic overhead.

You are used to Apple-style bureaucracy. It won't be even close. If 10 countries roll out their stores - most of them probably won't even be in English for a long time. Custom SDKs will add a lot of overhead on the development side. And app review madness will be like never before.

Something about the government being the supplier feels like a really horrible idea.

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#185

Post by paxys » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 4:34 PM UTC

colejohnson66 wrote: post #167

paxys wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The credit for that mostly goes to the sandboxed nature of the OS itself rather than app store review.

Genuine question: I don’t see how Apple could keep the sandbox system and allow any app to be installed?

The App Store is an app delivery mechanism. The same application sandboxing, API access restrictions etc. can all apply even if they allow sideloading. In fact that's already possible today through their enterprise deployment program.

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#186

Post by sbmthakur » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 4:36 PM UTC

zepto wrote: post #158

sbmthakur wrote: post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does having Chinese shareholders(in minority) make an app Chinese?

If access to the Chinese market is a significant portion of revenue, then these (large) minority shareholders ultimately control the company.

I agree with that. However, Flipkart, PayTM, Zomato and Swiggy do not operate in China.

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#187

Post by _throwaway_0093 » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 4:37 PM UTC

anaganisk wrote: post #142

Modi is a pure marketing person representing JIO and PayTM period, he just wants their spyware to be pre-installed. Nothing more, now if you want proof, watch the down votes. He is the kind of PM who doesn't meet journalists, doesn't take questions. And all he does is Marketing. No execution went atleast good till now.

I have to explain this comment. Because it will look like politically charged content to outsiders. The following is a rough summary of Indian politics from my perspective:

The current leadership has done some fishy marketing tactics for sure. There are swathes of fake news on whatsapp and Facebook which lure unsuspecting citizens into thinking the current leadership is some kind of savior. The local media is mostly silent and doesn't broadcast any news that might affect the savior image of the leadership. These media outlets cognitively manipulate people by pushing uncertain news; eg: "did coward china leave the Ladakh region after Modi's roar?"

Sorry, my English is not very good. But this news is so manipulative when broadcast in the local language.

This combined with aggressive Hindutva identity politics, most naive people of India think Modi is a savior, while they are systematically looting this country. BJP is one of richest parties in the world and no one asked where all the money from de monetization went. Modi has not even called a press meet so far.

It doesn't help that the opposition party is exploited by Nehru family. INC had a great prime minister PV Narasimha Rao, but he was suppressed in the party itself. He is easily the best PM this cursed country has seen after Late Mr. Shastri.

Doesn't help there is a vocal minority of liberal arts graduates which even openly support terrorist forces in an attempt to rail against BJP. They call themselves left or liberals but they are not left. They openly support all kind of dammage from Muslim fundamentalists, and try to defame the long standing tradition of the country. You can see lot of those people on r/india echo chamber. You will be banned for opposing their viewpoints. The effect? You will be called as leftie/liberal/communist/anti-national for just opposing Modi, among your friend circles who are already likely to be manipulated from the fake news based propaganda.

TL; DR This country sucks.

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#188

Post by minerjoe » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 4:37 PM UTC

bhaavan wrote: post #81

baybal2 wrote: post #49

India has a following issue with Android ecosystem, almost everything not owned by Google, is owned by some Chinese co. GetJar - sold to Chinese PayTM - Chinese shareholder Flipcart - Chinese shareholder Zomato, swiggy, + 10+ others online delivery/logistics apps. Some used to be reskins of Chinese apps. Some only have Indian C-levels. 20 something messengers - all except FB, and Twiter are Chinese ... I believe they…

Do you know reality, like at all? GetJar: I am hearing of this app for the first time, and I have seen and used many indian phones. Flipkart, Zomato, Swiggy are Indian companies with apps completely developed in India. Walmart has a major shareholding stake in Flipkart since a few years now. PayTM is also fully developed and operated in India, but yes, it does have Alibaba backing it. However, it was not at all consi…

Vouched for this [dead] [flagged] message because, regardless of the tone, I belive, the ciritical information is highly valid for this discussion. Maybe you can edit out the jibes and we can get on discussing the facts?

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#189

Post by devdas » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 4:38 PM UTC

pedro_hab wrote: post #124

tssva wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Corporations did just that in the specific part of the world under discussion here. I suggest you look into the East India Trading Company, Dutch East India and French East India companies.

I didn't say corporations are all good, but the fact that you had to go back to the 17th century to find an example tells a lot. Governments have been killing people since their beginning and probably as we speak.

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2010/10/the-pause...

As have corporations.

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#190

Post by indymike » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 4:39 PM UTC

mgreenleaf wrote: post #72

luckylion wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Economies are usually considered by looking at GDP though. Walmart, Apple etc would still be impressive, but not quite as much.

True, and companies spend a massive amount of their revenue in operations, whereas I would assume governments have much more disposable income for activities other than putting capital into daily production.

Given that most governments spend more than they take in and can print money...