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

#261

Post by tozeur » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 9:15 PM UTC

webmobdev wrote: post #204

colejohnson66 wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> This is going to be a big mess. PayTM as a company isn’t known for respecting user privacy. Controversial opinion here, but this is part of the reason I like that Apple makes (practically) all purchases run through them. They don’t sell my information, and they have an incentive to not change that.

> but this is part of the reason I like that Apple makes (practically) all purchases run through them. I vehemently disagree - in the name of "protecting privacy" Apple has been fooling users to believe that only Apple can be trusted with user data, and the biggest lie they sell is that they don't do anything with your data, unlike other corporates. From crippling Safari by allowing full cookies by default, and claim…

This sounds like privacy fear mongering What part of Apple’s business model would make them monetize user data through ads?

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

#262

Post by comex » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 9:21 PM UTC

bilbo0s wrote: post #239

akira2501 wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> That or government will mandate the Libertarian Wild West on our phones where anyone can install anything from any store. It's a little disconcerting to me that you would see allowing me to install whatever software I want on a device I fully own as a "Libertarian wild west." > Mobile operators alone will balk at that. Why? Don't fixed-location ISPs have the same issue? > the market evolved I think the concern is i…

The libertarian argument is a fever dream. There will be no wild west. If you're in India, you will be using the Indian government approved service. In China, you will be using Chinese government approved services. In Africa, you will be using ECOWAS, EAC, or SADC approved services. In Brazil, you will be using.. well, you get the idea. Material point being, none of these services will be made by developers outside o…

> In China, you will be using Chinese government approved services.

First of all, this is only about app stores. When it comes to “services” in general, people in China already do mostly use government approved ones; the Great Firewall makes sure of that.

Today, you use Apple’s App Store, but Apple blocks whatever apps the Chinese government tells them to. Is that really such a great situation? Under a sideloading model, at least you’d have the technical ability to opt out of whatever app store anyone told you to use.

As for legal ability, who knows, but any legal restrictions on where you can get apps from would be hard to enforce. And why would phones be any different from desktops, where such restrictions don’t currently exist?

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

#263

Post by ben_w » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 9:28 PM UTC

reader_mode wrote: post #259

ffpip wrote: post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not about selling your store activity. The apps on these stores do not comply with basic guideline like having a privacy policy, not forcing users to give access to all permissions, etc.

So basically just like the internet and PCs - no guarantees given ? I don't have a problem with this and I don't really see the value add for the 30% cut.

You may be smart and wise and know how to avoid dodgy apps, but can you trust everyone you want to have a private chat online with to not unwittingly install a screen recorder? And differently from PCs, can you trust everyone you chat with in real life to not unwittingly install an app that turns on the microphone and/or camera?

Don’t get me wrong — I want there to be 3rd party app stores, even if only because of the sexual Puritanism that Apple displays. That don’t mean there aren’t valid reasons to be extremely skepticism about any attempts to do so.

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

#264

Post by tebura » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 9:34 PM UTC

I am happy with this decision. There should be alternative to these stores. Let people decide which store to choose. Looting devs for 30% income is bad decision.

Also recently Google banned few Indian apps. The way I see it, Indian govt wants to make sure, essential apps are in their control, not in private companies'.

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

#265

Post by cblconfederate » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 9:35 PM UTC

throwawayinfo wrote: post #233

cblconfederate wrote: post #203

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> big businesses have been created so it's not entirely true. examples?

Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok...

all vc-supported , with huge money. not exactly the "indie studie that made it big" type. But more importantly, those are a decade ago (and TikTok reportedly bought its users).

At this point it doesnt seem there is any potential for making a profitable app company, the profit would be to be acquired

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

#266

Post by flak48 » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 9:38 PM UTC

nine_zeros wrote: post #147

What is stopping the government from simply banning single monopoly app store and forcing Google to allow installation of multiple private app stores? Why does it have to be a government app store?

Because the saner option has lesser PR value

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

#267

Post by hhjinks » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 9:45 PM UTC

colejohnson66 wrote: post #166

wtmt wrote: post #143

This is going to be a big mess. PayTM as a company isn’t known for respecting user privacy. The CEO’s brother was caught in a sting video saying they could sell any user’s information for a price (search online and you’ll find the video). All that these Indian startups care is for them to benefit and control everything. It’s not about equitable treatment. It’s more about regulatory capture and making sure that their…

> This is going to be a big mess. PayTM as a company isn’t known for respecting user privacy. Controversial opinion here, but this is part of the reason I like that Apple makes (practically) all purchases run through them. They don’t sell my information, and they have an incentive to not change that.

That's not an argument for Apple forcing everyone else out. You can still choose to just interface with Apple services, even if other app stores or payment services are available.

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

#268

Post by pedro_hab » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 9:53 PM UTC

devdas wrote: post #189

pedro_hab wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Sure, i wouldn’t disagree I do think that’s happening now.

governments do that and much worse.

Right now there are people in concentration camps.

I get that corporations can be bad, but they don’t have the monopoly on violence.

To conflate corporation’s violence with governments is a stretch.

It’s funny that people point at corporations being bad, while at the same time defending the worse offender.

I think people can be bad, and having a power form corporations make it worse, but the power government gives to terrible people is much worse.

* edited would with wouldn’t

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

#269

Post by hu3 » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 9:54 PM UTC

threeseed wrote: post #254

webmobdev wrote: post #204

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> but this is part of the reason I like that Apple makes (practically) all purchases run through them. I vehemently disagree - in the name of "protecting privacy" Apple has been fooling users to believe that only Apple can be trusted with user data, and the biggest lie they sell is that they don't do anything with your data, unlike other corporates. From crippling Safari by allowing full cookies by default, and claim…

Very strange to call Apple out as being a liar and can't be trusted with user data because of Safari's cookie and tracker policy. Because of all the browsers they have led the way in reducing the ability for advertisers to track you.

Can Apple be trusted tho?

"Apple dropped plan for encrypting backups after FBI complained"

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=22106536

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

#270

Post by vlovich123 » Sat, Oct 03, 2020, 10:18 PM UTC

derefr wrote: post #221

vlovich123 wrote: post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 allow…

I think it’s so app-level device-management policy features can be applied to the content of these services at a per-game granular level. Having each game as its own app means each game gets its own app-store age rating; its own star-rating, reviews, and install metrics; its own parental-control settings (e.g. screen time limits); its own corporate MDM blacklist-ability; and the ability for Apple to block that indivi…

Sure. It’s still a little hard to justify when you have video streaming services (which at a technical level is all that Stadia is as well). While Netflix is largely non-interactive content, they certainly do have interactive pieces (eg the experiment they did with a choose your adventure Kimmy Schmidt).