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EU tells Apple to open everything up to its rivals

appleinsider.com

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Re: EU tells Apple to open everything up to its rivals

#81

Post by marcosdumay »

yreg wrote: post #73

My opinion won't be popular. I think it is nice to have a choice of a walled off platform. If I wanted a "more open" platform, I would get an Android phone. There are plenty of amazing Android phones. I choose the tradeoff of Apple's curation. Yes, I cannot run arbitrary software and sometimes it is a disadvantage. Yes, I don't agree with all of the App Store rules all of the time. Yes, I don't think the App Store re…

> I don't want to download apps from alternative app stores.

Then don't. Nobody is forcing you.

Re: EU tells Apple to open everything up to its rivals

#82

Post by smoldesu »

johnzim wrote: post #61
olliej wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed, it will be so great when web developers can just force everyone to use chrome.

The inexplicable need to make the browser a second OS with worse everything boggles my mind. Especially on mobile devices which prize battery life. It won't give users choice because we as an industry have again and again just chosen what's easiest for us instead of best for the customer. We'd 100% still be using Flash if Apple hadn't refused to support it because of the battery and performance issues. This forum spe…

> We'd 100% still be using Flash if Apple hadn't refused to support it

I mean, that's hyperbole. Even in a flash-dominated web, there was still tons of non-flash technology being developed and distributed. In 2023 it would definitely be obsoleted, if for no reason other than Adobe having no incentive to keep it around. Apple's decision feels tangential relative to the progress of internet bandwidth, delivery technologies and even just the plain advent of YouTube obceleting 90% of the places Flash was used.

Flash would be dead today even if Apple did adopt it, because nobody in the industry wants to pay arbitrary taxes or kiss the proprietary ring. Their freedom on the web let them evolve and pick competitive replacements; Flash's death is hardly a defense of iron-fist ecosystem enforcement.

Re: EU tells Apple to open everything up to its rivals

#83

Post by andersa »

robertlagrant wrote: post #59
andersa wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those are not considered general purpose computing devices under the current legislation, so no. It's currently targeted at mobile phones.

Isn't this going to try and turn iPhones into general purpose computing devices? Currently they're much more locked down than that.

People already use their phones for everything in our modern society, so they have simply declared them to be that, regardless of what Apple thinks about it.

Even if I'd personally like it, I don't think the same argument makes much sense for a PS5 - when have you last used it to order groceries or new furniture? Apple would love to get a cut of those purchases, by the way.

Starting by dealing with the devices that have the highest impact on the largest number of people, due to a runaway capitalistic empire trying to add an additional tax to everything that vaguely gets near it, has a higher chance of actually succeeding.

Re: EU tells Apple to open everything up to its rivals

#84

Post by crazygringo »

sccxy wrote: post #16

Current iOS browser situation is quite a joke. Recently they added possibility for other browsers to "Add page to Home Screen". But this shortcut later opens in Safari...

No it doesn't.

I've added many shortcuts to websites from my home screen from within Chrome since this feature was recently added, and they all open in Chrome.

Re: EU tells Apple to open everything up to its rivals

#86

Post by jandrewrogers »

ssklash wrote: post #44
ROFISH wrote: post #35

Good! I'm looking forward to having to uninstall a crypto miner on my mom's phone because it told her the only way to play a slots app is to allow third-party apps.

The "won't someone think of my mom" argument. Somehow we get by just fine on x86 with arbitrary software being allowed, but for IOS it's unthinkable?

We don't "get by just fine".

Computers overflowing with naively self-installed adware/malware is a recurring and persistent problem with some relatives of mine. Nothing you can say stops them from inadvertently doing it again, they simply lack the sophistication to understand, and then complaining that their computer is slow or doesn't work anymore. Putting these people on iOS is a godsend, these kinds of issues don't happen there.

Re: EU tells Apple to open everything up to its rivals

#87

Post by larme »

marcosdumay wrote: post #81
yreg wrote: post #73

My opinion won't be popular. I think it is nice to have a choice of a walled off platform. If I wanted a "more open" platform, I would get an Android phone. There are plenty of amazing Android phones. I choose the tradeoff of Apple's curation. Yes, I cannot run arbitrary software and sometimes it is a disadvantage. Yes, I don't agree with all of the App Store rules all of the time. Yes, I don't think the App Store re…

> I don't want to download apps from alternative app stores. Then don't. Nobody is forcing you.

big corps (including apple itself) are powerful enough to force you to do everything if they really want.

Re: EU tells Apple to open everything up to its rivals

#88

Post by Barrin92 »

dogma1138 wrote: post #64
kwanbix wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Doesn't Apple hold a monopoly on the iPhone/iPad ecosystem? Why am I not allowed to install Firefox or Chrome (real Firefox or Chrome)?

Not anymore than Honda or Ford hold a monopoly on their cars…

the monopoly car companies have on their cars is one of the ways they fleece consumers. It's why they have pricing power on repairs, can charge whatever they want for their self driving solutions etc. There's a reason why almost all of them are trying to turn their cars from mechanical vehicles into glorified software/service platforms, it's a way to lock people in.

In a world where hardware and software is open and interoperable and you can say, buy a self driving solution from any vendor (which is essentially what comma does in a hacky way), consumers benefit. Same is true for phones or laptops.

Re: EU tells Apple to open everything up to its rivals

#89

Post by hightrix »

colonwqbang wrote: post #68
spullara wrote: post #50

I for one look forward to there being a franken iphone in EU covered with ads and malware. Apple should give them exactly what they want. Every major software company will have their own app store for their apps. It will be glorius!

This idea that without a tightly controlled monopoly enforced by digital locks, the world will immediately devolve into chaos. On my phone I can install proprietary apps from Google's store, or open source apps from F-droid. What's wrong with having choice?

I agree that having a choice is absolutely important. I want to have a choice of a closed ecosystem, like Apple. Can we not have the option between open (Android) and closed (Apple)?

Re: EU tells Apple to open everything up to its rivals

#90

Post by EtienneK »

marcosdumay wrote: post #81
yreg wrote: post #73

My opinion won't be popular. I think it is nice to have a choice of a walled off platform. If I wanted a "more open" platform, I would get an Android phone. There are plenty of amazing Android phones. I choose the tradeoff of Apple's curation. Yes, I cannot run arbitrary software and sometimes it is a disadvantage. Yes, I don't agree with all of the App Store rules all of the time. Yes, I don't think the App Store re…

> I don't want to download apps from alternative app stores. Then don't. Nobody is forcing you.

If I can only get WhatsApp from the Meta Store then, yes, I’m forced.
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