Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

App Store Rejection of the Week: Dark Hours

daringfireball.net

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 233 posts

Re: App Store Rejection of the Week: Dark Hours

#61

Post by smelendez »

rcstank wrote: post #16
quentindanjou wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The "Astrology" reason emphasized in the article isn't the main reason, they actually quickly talk about it: > the App Review Board and the Review Board responded that they determined the original rejection was valid because, I shit you not, “We understand that the app includes a live tarot reading feature.” So that's it, they need to remove the live tarot reading. Which to me while not being astrology, isn't much be…

You missed the fact that the article also explained there is no feature like that in the app.

I actually thought the article could be more explicit about that, but in fairness I think the author figured readers were familiar with the app and that it would be obvious there’s no tarot functionality.

Re: App Store Rejection of the Week: Dark Hours

#62

Post by modzu »

midtake wrote: post #39
DrJokepu wrote: post #26

> But that’s not what happened at all. Godier proceeded through a series of escalations up to the App Review Board and the Review Board responded that they determined the original rejection was valid because, I shit you not, “We understand that the app includes a live tarot reading feature.” > It has no tarot function, no horoscopes, and nothing that I, or anyone else I’ve asked, would associate with astrology. I hav…

But then you're lying. Why not add the comment "no tarot function" without reference to whether it existed in the past? A bit confusing because it's a trivial and seemingly unrelated statement but at least then you wouldn't be lying.

because it would be rejected again

Re: App Store Rejection of the Week: Dark Hours

#64

Post by baby_souffle »

starik36 wrote: post #52
echelon wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is Gruber starting to realize Apple's monopoly is bad? App stores should not exist in a world where only two phone operating systems exist. All apps MUST be installable via web. Come on, EU. Help us out here. Free us from distribution tyranny. Do it before Google morphs into the same hell beast. Soon you won't be able to read unapproved, unattested bytes. It's coming. We need as many freedoms as we can get. Apple can…

The other side of your coin is that I need to periodically visit my relatives and remove all sorts of malware and adware from their phones. Just like I've done with PCs over the past few decades.

I get your point but neither the Play store or the Apple app store are devoid of malware.

Re: App Store Rejection of the Week: Dark Hours

#65

Post by iamnothere »

macintux wrote: post #60
dgellow wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You grandma can keep the „restricted“ flag on then. I will be happy to disable it on my device

My concern has been that companies with a huge install base (hi, Meta) would take advantage of this: "in order to provide you with the best experience, you have to turn off the restricted flag to install the next release of our app". And then, billions of users cry out in pain as their private data is hoovered into the panopticon in the cloud.

Exactly, and it’s impossible to regulate those business practices! Don’t even try! Better to limit what people can do on their own computing devices, or better yet remove that ownership entirely.

Re: App Store Rejection of the Week: Dark Hours

#67

Post by MerrimanInd »

It's a massive problem that mobile apps are most users favorite way to consume programs yet are one of the few forms of distribution being gatekept by two massive and opinionated companies. It feels like the slow creeping rot at the foundation of the premise (and promise) of technology and the internet.

Which makes this a good time to remind everyone about the Keep Android Open movement:

https://keepandroidopen.org/

> "Starting in 2027*, a silent update, nonconsensually pushed by Google, will block every Android app whose developer hasn't registered with Google, signed their contract, paid up, and handed over government ID."

Re: App Store Rejection of the Week: Dark Hours

#69

Post by iamnothere »

ceejayoz wrote: post #45
iamnothere wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly, computers should only be allowed to do what expert gatekeepers deem safe. There is no possible way to allow competent users to bypass this. Even if they had to go submit a blood sample and sign a document in front of a judge, grandma would just do it anyway! Lock it all down and make sure that compilers require a government license.

The flip side of this is: Pro: I can use a convoluted process to install an astronomy app Apple didn't like. Con: Billions of dollars of life savings siphoned off with devastating consequences. I'm by no means a maximalist on either side of this, but technologists aren't the only ones who get a say here.

Correct. As a side benefit we can restrict users from installing applications that go against other societal interests, like apps that allow unrestricted communications. The framework is complete for mobile devices, we just need to tackle PCs now.

Re: App Store Rejection of the Week: Dark Hours

#70

Post by sandoze »

guessbest wrote: post #63

This is funny because they aren't approving anything right now Developers are wondering if they are the only ones on their forums: https://developer.apple.com/forums/topics/app-store-distribu...

It's been selective for sure. I have a macOS app that has been approved within a day. There are two apps I submit for a client both have cleared review twice in the past two weeks within 24 hours.

On the other hand I have a personal iOS app that normally doesn't take long to approve that's been waiting two weeks.

Post reply on HN