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Apple and Meta go to war over interoperability vs. privacy

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Re: Apple and Meta go to war over interoperability vs. privacy

#61
Here are some of Meta's ask according to Apple...

https://developer.apple.com/support/downloads/DMA-Interopera...

  AirPlay Continuity Camera
  App Intents
  Devices connected with Bluetooth
  Apple Notification Center Service
  iPhone Mirroring
  CarPlay
  Connectivity to all of a user’s Apple devices
  Messaging
  Wi-Fi networks and properties

Re: Apple and Meta go to war over interoperability vs. privacy

#62
post #10

The Reuters report on this is much more detailed: https://www.reuters.com/technology/apple-slams-metas-numerou... And yes, Meta isn’t denying requesting everything under the sun. Their only retort is Apple’s privacy concerns are anticompetitive excuses. Two things can be true: Apple is only protecting their own interests, and Meta is a terrible would-be guardian of all the data they’re requesting.

Also Apple's own apps request permissions the same way third party apps do

Apple chooses to ask the user for permission about certain things, but they're not beholden to that "like any other app". No app can e.g use your microphone in the background to listen for trigger words, no other app can analyse your photos for search without a permission dialog, no other app can transmit nearby BSSIDs + GPS location in the background for the purposes of building a location services system. Apple does all these things. Apple is absolutely not doing things "like third party apps do".

Re: Apple and Meta go to war over interoperability vs. privacy

#63

Meta’s request for interoperability is regarding their hardware, not their flagship apps, if you take it at face value. They want their glasses and headsets to integrate as tightly as an Apple Watch or Vision Pro to show messages and other notifications, connect to WiFi, and share files with an iPhone, but Apple uses private APIs for their own devices. Meta says that is anticompetitive and the APIs should be public.…

>Meta’s request for interoperability is regarding their hardware, not their flagship apps, if you take it at face value.

>They want their glasses and headsets to integrate as tightly as an Apple Watch or Vision Pro

Not agreeing or disagreeing but that makes much more sense.

Re: Apple and Meta go to war over interoperability vs. privacy

#64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The rename from Facebook didn't change the base nature of that company. Their product is selling user data. All their other “products” are just suction pipes for hoovering up that data.

> All their other “products” are just suction pipes for hoovering up that data. I don't think that's true for their VR/MR hardware. That's Meta's attempt to get a product that is _not_ like that, but which instead gets them in a position similar to where Google and Apple are for phones. I.e., where they own the platform and can profit off of that.

> I don't think that's true for their VR/MR hardware.

They literally record the cameras and 'screen', then send it off to their servers.

The VR hardware absolutely spies on you. Even if you tell it not to, it still shows up in the mobile app.

Re: Apple and Meta go to war over interoperability vs. privacy

#65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The rename from Facebook didn't change the base nature of that company. Their product is selling user data. All their other “products” are just suction pipes for hoovering up that data.

> All their other “products” are just suction pipes for hoovering up that data. I don't think that's true for their VR/MR hardware. That's Meta's attempt to get a product that is _not_ like that, but which instead gets them in a position similar to where Google and Apple are for phones. I.e., where they own the platform and can profit off of that.

Owning the platform + selling user data = double the profits.

You seriously think they will pass on this golden opportunity?

Re: Apple and Meta go to war over interoperability vs. privacy

#66
I think one of my personal issues with allowing Meta to access these private APIs is that they may not take "don't allow" for an answer.

I have WhatsApp to talk to some family and I recently disabled allowing all contacts in iOS 18. WhatsApp now has a persistent notification at the top of messages to "Allow All Contacts".

If Apple allows users to choose whether or not to give Meta access, and users choose "no", Meta can lock them out of the service entirely (e.g., "you can't use this Meta Quest headset without allowing access to your messages").

That being said, Apple is definitely fighting for its own interests here as well. It would obviously benefit them to sell their own watches, headsets, earbuds, etc.

Re: Apple and Meta go to war over interoperability vs. privacy

#67
post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Users will be faced with a dialog saying "to use Facebook, you must accept XYZ", and their only options will be to accept or to not use the app. Facebook will detect empty or fake data and lock the user out unless they acquiesce.

Apple routinely rejects apps that try tactics like this. Otherwise it'd be an easy way around the "Ask App Not To Track" prompt.

I don't know man?

I have to think if Apple were mandated to be more open to competitors they would not be allowed to reject apps on this basis.

This problem is just multifaceted and far reaching. Not sure how to go about solving it?

Re: Apple and Meta go to war over interoperability vs. privacy

#69

Here are some of Meta's ask according to Apple... https://developer.apple.com/support/downloads/DMA-Interopera... AirPlay Continuity Camera App Intents Devices connected with Bluetooth Apple Notification Center Service iPhone Mirroring CarPlay Connectivity to all of a user’s Apple devices Messaging Wi-Fi networks and properties

Wow.

I mean, where does a company get the balls to demand total access like this to the phones, networks and data of every phone in the US? These companies have zero fear of us as a people.

(They have zero respect for us as well, but that's another issue.)

Re: Apple and Meta go to war over interoperability vs. privacy

#70
post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Users will be faced with a dialog saying "to use Facebook, you must accept XYZ", and their only options will be to accept or to not use the app. Facebook will detect empty or fake data and lock the user out unless they acquiesce.

Apple routinely rejects apps that try tactics like this. Otherwise it'd be an easy way around the "Ask App Not To Track" prompt.

>Apple routinely rejects apps that try tactics like this.

This is going to be irrelevant in the EU once sideloading gets popular.

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