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Apple blocked the FlickType Watch keyboard then announced a clone of it

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Re: Apple blocked the FlickType Watch keyboard then announced a clone of it

#121

Post by Bud »

tiffanyh wrote: post #92

I thought the reason why iOS blocked both SMS apps and Keyboard apps is because they wanted to ensure rogue app developers aren't invading your privacy and/or spamming (e.g. key loggers or sending SMS you didn't compose).

Yes. Because it was. And it was, and remains, a good reason.

I get why the developer might be ticked, in this case, but I still think it's a stretch to speak of "cloning" a very very basic QWERTY keyboard, and the breathtakingly-original concept of putting a keyboard onto a touchscreen. /s

As if that is some kind of grand-scale theft of intellectual property. Please.

Re: Apple blocked the FlickType Watch keyboard then announced a clone of it

#122

Post by p2t2p »

radmuzom wrote: post #105
p2t2p wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Whats the point of market fixing itself in this situation? "Market fixing itself" describe relationships between consumer and supplier. In this case "consumer" is better off so seems like market works as intended. Developer's being f-ed over is sad thing but unless the situation for developers is so bad that they abandon App Store in troves then nothing will fix anything. Also one could argue that overall situation i…

> In this case "consumer" is better off so seems like market works as intended. How is the consumer better off when a choice for them has been removed? If Apple's keyboard is superior, then consumers will automatically chose that and not buy this guy's software. How is this "nanny state" behaviour by Apple justified?

I assumed that they get this option for free instead of buying an app and less stuff to install generally.

If Apple's option is worse (which I doubt, at least for English) and/or original app is free then probably consumer suffers a bit. But if consumer is worse off then it is better because AFAIK American anti-monopoly system focuses on consumer's well-being so the more examples of consumer being worse off the easier to attract courts and regulators, isn't it?

Re: Apple blocked the FlickType Watch keyboard then announced a clone of it

#123

Post by Bud »

Invictus0 wrote: post #97
pluc wrote: post #83

They have been doing this since Cydia marketplace. The whole pull-down drawer concept was on a jailbroken app and now it's on both iOS and Android. There's too many of those to list.

In that case, I believe they actually hired the guy that did that tweak.

As they've hired many other developers in similar circumstances. That would seem to demonstrate "caring about" developers, in my mind at least, but many seem to disagree. :)

Re: Apple blocked the FlickType Watch keyboard then announced a clone of it

#124

Post by alisonkisk »

rad_gruchalski wrote: post #67
Aulig wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If they infringe on his intellectual property rights they must normally be removed, I assume.

If he proves in the courts that they do, yes. Just because someone else has built another keyboard for the watch does not mean that any IP was infringed on.

OK then why was FlickType banned without a court order?

Re: Apple blocked the FlickType Watch keyboard then announced a clone of it

#126

Post by jdavis703 »

ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #115
jdavis703 wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Legally I’m not sure the small developer has a chance. Not because the courts are unjust, it’s just hard to say whether Apple broke any laws here. It’s not to say they didn’t, it just doesn’t seem like there’s any slam dunk legal argument about wrongdoing (despite who this might feel morally).

>it’s just hard to say whether Apple broke any laws here Doesn't stealing someone's idea for an app/innovation and respinning it into your own implementation count as IP theft? IIRC the Winklevoss twins got paid handsomely as a settlement for Zuckerberg stealing their idea for Facebook. Granted, they were very rich and well connected so that helped.

Short answer is no, unless a patent or copyright is stolen. I believe the Winklevoss allegations stemmed from a belief that there was some sort of agreement or contract that was violated.

Re: Apple blocked the FlickType Watch keyboard then announced a clone of it

#127

Post by Someone »

throwthere wrote: post #98

Meh. The problem is FlickType requires network access during use. The App store licensing is ok with keyboards, it's not ok with keyboards that get network access. This, Apple perceives as a major privacy issue-- one for the possibility of keylogging, but also for the broader possibility of the always-on logging that the weather apps are infamous for. edit: Sorry, I didn't include the source, the Developer License Ag…

The weird thing is: it only required network access if you used it while VoiceOver is off (https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/16/22627515/flicktype-ios-ke...)

I can’t think of a technical reason for that.

Re: Apple blocked the FlickType Watch keyboard then announced a clone of it

#128

Post by Bud »

hughrr wrote: post #85

Oh Apple is really starting to head up to the top of my vendor shit list these days. I’ve already dumped their entire ecosystem after the CSAM shit.

In favor of which comparable ecosystem that does a better overall job for you on privacy issues, as a whole?

Re: Apple blocked the FlickType Watch keyboard then announced a clone of it

#129

Post by germandiago »

germandiago wrote: post #80
sofixa wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I am against regulations but I still find these practices anticompetitive I really don't know how anyone can see this sort of crap and say they're against regulations. The market obviously isn't fixing itself, do you have any other solution?

then the topic would shift to who regulates the regulator. And there are very EVIL incentives in having regulators. More free market is a way better solution. I agree it is a shitshow.But it is also true that these companies created products. What does a regulator do? Regulate and having incentives to regulate in certain directions (come on we all have seen that). However they bring zero value to people (unlike Apple…

Besides the rain of negatives I am getting, something I expected, it seems I got a negative in this last reply.

It seems that regulators would be kind of gods where there is nothing else to say about it.

I am still waiting for a real, logical reply to who regulates regulators.

After all, we live in an overregulated world where people always complain about corporations.

However, much of this power is accumulated through lobbying to legislators. Do you people really think that regulating MORE is better?

I bet this is not the good way to go...

Again, just my two cents from my intellectually honest (I can be wrong, of course) analysis by seeing what I see day by day.

Re: Apple blocked the FlickType Watch keyboard then announced a clone of it

#130

Post by scns »

sofixa wrote: post #52
germandiago wrote: post #36

I am against regulations but I still find these practices anticompetitive. Not sure what the conclusion should be here. On one side this runs on Apple platform:"it is my platform, I rule it". On the other hand, they have a de-facto position to abuse by just kicking out companies at will to enlarge their businesses and monoplolize them... I wish there was choice beyond Apple and Android. I am myself starting to look f…

> I am against regulations but I still find these practices anticompetitive I really don't know how anyone can see this sort of crap and say they're against regulations. The market obviously isn't fixing itself, do you have any other solution?

For me "The market will fix itself" is just a neoliberal lie, no amount of repeating it will make it true. Sadly many people believe people who speak with conviction. A family member shared similar crap (oh noes, i will have to pay more for gas) in a private group

History has shown over and over that left to their own devices people will act in their own self interest. And from a biological point of view it would even be the correct thing to do IMHO. But we ain't running hungry through the wilderness no more. A win-win would be better for everyone.

I think inequality creates fear. Even in those who profit, the fear of loosing their wealth. There was a case of a town in the US, were the population was pretty homogenous, their culture forbade the flaunting of wealth, so everybody acted humble and even dressed the same. Then the younger generation went to college out of town, came back with a differnt mindset. Pools were built, cars bought, inequality made obvious for everyone to see. What happenend? Cases of heart disease were low before, but rose afterwards. Found a link: https://www.unimedliving.com/living-medicine/illness-and-dis...

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