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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

#241

Post by HelixEndeavor »

Razengan wrote: post #166
jacquesm wrote: post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you gatekeep applications on your device then it's a walled garden. Simple, no?

So why has there never been a horde of torches and pitchforks outside Castle Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo yet? And don’t squeeze out that “cOnSoLeS aReNt cOmPuTeRs” bullshit. They’re closer to computers than a goddamn wristwatch.

1. Consoles are just as much computers as smart watches.

2. There isn't a horde of pitchforks because instead people's efforts with those consoles are focused towards jailbreaking them to run their arbitrary code instead of begging the company to do it - and Microsoft's Developer Mode on Xbox allows running of arbitrary code anyways, so the problems is basically solved there.

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

#242

Post by nisegami »

Damogran6 wrote: post #226
Sunspark wrote: post #219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would rather use an unsupported device that has the ability to do a variety of things than a supported device that doesn't allow various features which is the case with iOS for me. With Apple, it's their way or the highway.

So do the hackers and Zero Day Exploit day traders.

This is so pointless, but I feel like 0-day exploit sellers benefit if everyone is up to date, as it means you need a 0-day to exploit those devices (making those exploits more valuable). But if everyone is running out of date software, who cares if it's a 0-day?

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

#243

Post by qwertyuiop_ »

At the end of the day the Apple App Store leadership needs to clearly make clear in the terms of service that there is a possibility Product people who internally take credit for most of these features may copy the app features and set the expectations really really low. No more handwringing on AppStore bans and copying features. Just come out and say we do it, so 3rd party developers are not glimmery eyed.

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

#244

Post by VortexDream »

NKosmatos wrote: post #16

Very typical of Apple, using opaque approval procedures. They're acting like bullies because they didn't get what they wanted and because they have the money/power to do so. Apple wanted to buy FlickType but they didn't agree on the price or Eleftheriou didn't want to sell (I doubt it), and so from then onwards started the downhill ride. I fully support Eleftheriou on this just for the principle, but if I were in his…

It's because of this kind of stuff that I wanted the Epic case about anticompetitive behavior to be successful. Unfortunately, they blew past this whole issue and focused solely on the issue of the store tax and payment processing. So we're stuck with crap like this.

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

#245

Post by VortexDream »

rebuilder wrote: post #214
mabbo wrote: post #211

This is the key problem when a market-maker is also a market participant. When the same entity setting the market rules, deciding who is violating them, and collecting the market data is also an active competitor against everyone else in that market. It's not a fair playing field. Apple knows that, but pretends that it is. I say it's a problem, but I don't have a solution. It's hard to say "Apple can't make apps for…

I guess that leaves “Apple can’t dictate what programs can be run on iPhones”

No, there's a huge difference between locking out competitors entirely from offering the same kind of app Apple is and, say, removing an app for being adware.

Anticompetitive behavior is more subjecting third party apps to rules that their own apps aren't subject to. Or arbitrarily changing the rules to suit their own apps. Any number of behaviors really that affect competitors and prevent them from competing with Apple's apps.

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

#246

Post by jkestner »

criley2 wrote: post #163

There is no way to have a fair App Store where the organization approving your app is the same organization creating apps to compete with you. This is a fundamental, existential problem with the App Store model. You can't compete with Apple; they simply will not let you.

Elizabeth Warren agrees: https://medium.com/@teamwarren/heres-how-we-can-break-up-big...

She used Amazon as the example but thinks the same about the App Store. As much as I agree with her, the problem with this has been, where do you draw the line between applications and system software? What can be included out of the box? This has constantly changed as companies like Apple vertically integrate the user experience.

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

#247

Post by piokoch »

NKosmatos wrote: post #16

Very typical of Apple, using opaque approval procedures. They're acting like bullies because they didn't get what they wanted and because they have the money/power to do so. Apple wanted to buy FlickType but they didn't agree on the price or Eleftheriou didn't want to sell (I doubt it), and so from then onwards started the downhill ride. I fully support Eleftheriou on this just for the principle, but if I were in his…

That's not only Apple, other companies (like Microsoft) were eating their customers, who were providing service that followed their business line.

On the one hand, this is not pretty, on the other hand, this was happening, happens and will happen, so anyone starting business should think of this - that's one more risk to take into account. I think there was a good post on this by Joel Spolsky - if you create app that improves someone else product, the owner of the product soon or later will come after you.

Apple probably is not going to extend iOS with capabilities useful for plumbers, so one is safe building app for plumbers, however I would hesitate to build app for runners, as Apple is clearly looking on the health & sports sector.

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

#248

Post by VortexDream »

d35007 wrote: post #161
Symmetry wrote: post #114

What made me leave the iPhone ecosystem, many years ago, was when they pulled all the podcatchers off the app store because they were going to be adding podcast support to iTunes soon. Not only that but getting podcasts from iTunes at the time meant plugging your iPhone into your computer running iTunes, much less convenient than having your phone download things over WiFi. Especially since I was using Linux and didn…

When was this? Based on https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2005/06/28Apple-Takes-Podcast... , it looks like Apple added podcast support to iTunes in 2005. The iPhone wasn’t released until 2007 and the App Store didn’t exist until 2008.

I assume he means this, where Apple banned a podcast app because it "duplicated existing functionality".

https://www.networkworld.com/article/2346233/apple-shows-tru...

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

#249

Post by aixi »

IncRnd wrote: post #215
aixi wrote: post #25

I don't think this is a very popular take, but swipe keyboards are extremely common right now; I don't believe Apple had an ulterior motive here.

It's not a popular take, because you are ignoring the history of the situation that has been mentioned a large number of times on this page and in the article.

i insist, what is there to gain for Apple in this case? this is a free update even for older watches

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

#250

Post by kazinator »

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.

> stealing someone's idea

He didn't invent virtual keyboards on touchscreens. I don't suspect he holds a patent in this area.

That would not be a reasonable basis for a lawsuit, since it could not be expected to succeed.

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