Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#321

Post by pests » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 6:34 PM UTC

snowwrestler wrote: post #313

Aushin wrote: post #238

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think this holds up. WalMart choosing not to stock a product doesn't mean that the product won't be made at all . WalMart doesn't decide to stop stocking Hanes underwear because Hanes ships boxers to KMart and Target too. Now maybe in some cases WalMart does demand exclusive right to sell something. But imagine they did it for EVERY. FUCKING. PRODUCT. I think people would get pretty pissed off. And rightfully…

How does Apple demand the exclusive right to sell anything? There are plenty of Android apps that integrate with Pebble, and plenty of apps that are available across iOS, Android, even Windows, Blackberry, FireFox OS, Cyanogen, etc. Apple can set rules for apps in their app store , just like Walmart can control the stock on their shelves. Walmart doesn't carry what you want? Go to Target. Apple doesn't allow an app y…

I always hear that the choice you present is what allows anti-competitive behavior.

But does that hold true even when the costs of switching is enormously high?

With Target/WalMart you don't have to re-buy a $650 phone to switch. You don't need to (maybe) switch carriers depending on needs or offers with all the hassle and fees that might entail.

You might have to re-learn an entirely new OS. How much time does that cost someone in lost productivity or just time in life?

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#322

Post by hellbanner » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 6:41 PM UTC

31reasons wrote: post #235

Artemis2 wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel that Google/Apple should have been hit with an antitrust policy already some time ago.

I am curious why would Google be in trouble with antitrust ?

Because they dominate search with their PageRank algorithm, they are a huge email provider, online calendar provider, among other services.

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#323

Post by hellbanner » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 6:44 PM UTC

A client's app was rejected because we mentioned Android in the description.. I replaced it with "the crossplatform app for -- ($market)" and it was accepted.

Apple's review process is completely opaque to me. One time an app was rejected because the user signed in with a unique code instead of an email/password.. literally had to change the name of the textfield to "username" from "code" and added a password field that did nothing and it passed. Kafkaesque.

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#324

Post by clarky07 » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 6:46 PM UTC

brlewis wrote: post #272

clarky07 wrote: post #230

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except Pebble isn't another mobile platform. It is an accessory.

Pebble has apps: http://www.wareable.com/apps/the-best-apps-for-pebble-and-pe... And Pebble works even when you don't have your phone with you, so it's more of a mobile platform than Apple Watch.

define "works even when you don't have your phone with you"? I have one, and most of the useful features definitely require my phone.

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#325

Post by venomsnake » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 6:47 PM UTC

s73v3r wrote: post #298

venomsnake wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple has 100% monopoly on iOS platform.

Which doesn't matter, as there are far more smartphone platforms than just iOS.

And there were many more OS-es and browsers than MS and they got sued. And here we have totally captive audience and nobody gives a fuck ...

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#326

Post by sequoia » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 6:50 PM UTC

fredley wrote: post #192

The Runkeeper app explicitly mentions Pebble Support, and was released on the 20th of April. https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/runkeeper-gps-running-walk/i... I'm going to wait a little before passing judgement on this. Could just be a bad review/er. I do feel sorry for these devs though, running to 'the press' is something Apple passive-aggressively warns you not to do. Their future app-approval life could be quite un…

> running to 'the press' is something Apple passive-aggressively warns you not to do.

Can you elaborate on this? What language do they use?

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#327

Post by tekromancr » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 6:50 PM UTC

hluska wrote: post #185

jackweirdy wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And surprises me how few SSL-deploying sysadmins use HTTPS Everywhere! (Or perhaps, how few browse their own site...)

I'm getting the sense that QA means something dramatically different to the web developers of today...Seldom a day goes by when I don't find major errors (that I would fire people for not catching) on major web apps!!

Yea, but sometimes it's impossible to offer TLS. Like, in this case, where a forum software is being hosted remotely, and they are putting a custom domain in front of it. Squarespace is another notable example. These services simply DON'T offer ssl support when used with custom domains.

You really can't expect everything to work right when you aren't even offering the service that is being requested, can you?

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#328

Post by lostgame » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 6:55 PM UTC

uberlux wrote: post #311

Misleading headline; Apple is only rejecting apps that explicitly mention Pebble in their app description and metadata. Nothing to do with the actual functionality. App developers can get their app linked to from any website that lists apps with Pebble compatibility.

This needs more upvotes. Although, not being able to mention Pebble support in your description seems to really artificially limit your ability to let your customers know it's supported.

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#329

Post by tsunamifury » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 7:03 PM UTC

nilliams wrote: post #257

31reasons wrote: post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am curious why would Google be in trouble with antitrust ?

The EU announced antitrust charges against Google a couple of weeks ago [1]. tl;dr - '[T]he company has given an unfair advantage to its own comparison shopping service ...' [1] http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/apr/14/european-c...

No charges were filed and likely never will be. This is merely a list of complaints.

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#330

Post by sesteel » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 7:05 PM UTC

gambiter wrote: post #229

sesteel wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is still anticompetitive, suppressing information about a competitor's product helps the consumer in 0 ways.

You start up movie theater. You sell ads to marketing companies for before the movie. One of those ads is pushing a competing movie theater. Are you really saying you would allow it to run just so that you can 'help the consumer'? Businesses are in competition... that's how the market works.

I understand that is how that the market works. It may not be a "problem" in people's current understanding of the law, but I certainly think a problem is being exposed here. I am arguing that Apple has created something different with the AppStore; a privileged sub-market. Because the burden of changing markets is heavily in Apple's favor they should, as a large public company, be required to serve the public good and manage it in the consumer's best interest, not their own.