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App store bill sails out of Senate Judiciary Committee

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Re: App store bill sails out of Senate Judiciary Committee

#111
post #97

If anyone actually thinks we’re going to be in an objectively better spot in 2 years because of this bill, I encourage you to take a real good look around at the actual world we actually live in. Things I guarantee you will see because of this: 1. You will have six different app stores on your phone. The Apple one, the Facebook one, the Google one, the Epic one, and at least two more, probably one from Disney and one…

Where are the 6 app store apps for android. Where are the app stores for Mac and PC? I can buy games for my PC from Steam, direct, green man gaming, etc etc. I can install apps that do things Apple thinks I shouldn't. The idea that having a choice of where I buy an app is a bad thing boggles my mind just because one goes in my pocket and the other sits on a desk. This fear mongering has to stop.

Don't want to sideload? Then don't. Only buy apps from the app store on mac and pc and android and iPhone. And don't hit me with "But what if XYZ takes their app out of the app store and goes sideloading only?!" Well then don't install their app, it's that simple. If the logic is if you want to sideload get an android phone, then the same should be applied to sideloading in general. Don't want to sideload? Then don't.

Re: App store bill sails out of Senate Judiciary Committee

#112
post #97

If anyone actually thinks we’re going to be in an objectively better spot in 2 years because of this bill, I encourage you to take a real good look around at the actual world we actually live in. Things I guarantee you will see because of this: 1. You will have six different app stores on your phone. The Apple one, the Facebook one, the Google one, the Epic one, and at least two more, probably one from Disney and one…

On my PC I have a Windows Store, a Steam Store, an EA Origin store and an Epic Games store. There are problems with Windows, particularly because it is like a 25 year old OS. But I don't think the problems are due to those store. I like being able to buy things on the Windows Store and on Origin and Steam. If you are right and this makes things worse don't you think people will just stick with the Apple store? Full d…

> If you are right and this makes things worse don't you think people will just stick with the Apple store?

No, they won’t. At a bare minimum, they’ll have the Google store and the Facebook store, and they’ll probably have a dozen others, because most people don’t actually care enough to make a principled stand on these kinds of things, but their lives will be shittier because of this, in the same way that we all have LinkedIn accounts even though LinkedIn is dogshit because we all need jobs and none of us care that much, but our lives are shittier because of LinkedIn and they’ll be shittier because of this.

Re: App store bill sails out of Senate Judiciary Committee

#113
post #69

As long as this does not cause an exodus from the App Store and I am forced to start paying for apps directly, I am fine with this. But a strong benefit to the App Store for me is being able to manage and cancel my subscriptions from a central place. No going through 5 screens, no being forced to call, no any of that crap. I can already see apps refusing to carry through the App Store so they can control more, and I…

While it doesn't offer easy cancellation, Truebill is really nice for keeping track of subscriptions. That's always been the hardest part for me as someone with ADHD who has multiple bank accounts. The only account it doesn't work with is my Apple Card because it is still in the stone age of connectivity.

Re: App store bill sails out of Senate Judiciary Committee

#114
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mobile app stores are a duopoly, so Google can charge as much as Apple charges.

But, isn't this trying to close the barn doors after the horses are already out? Side loading is already here and there are already multiple app stores: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Android_app_stores

How many of those actually have users?

The only ones barely relevant are the preloaded OEM stores, like Samsung’s and Amazon’s, but even those pale in comparison to Google Play.

And it’s not because Google Play is better than the competition. It’s because Google has barriers in place to stop any would be competitors. Look at the epic game store for a high profile example of that.

Re: App store bill sails out of Senate Judiciary Committee

#115

As an indie dev, I'm really not getting this. Android has had alternate app stores for years. I don't recall any of them being a panacea for poor struggling devs held captive by Google Play. I stopped offering my apps on any of them as it was never worth the bother. What problem is this trying to solve for who exactly? I don't see any way this ends up as a win for small devs.

Allowing alternative payment systems. This would be absolutely huge for small devs, as you no longer have to pay the ridiculous 15%-30% rent to Apple.

Oh goody. I get to manage my own payment system. And have to worry about being tax compliant in every country and state. And deal with logins, and refunds and fraud and uptime and customer support.

Where do I sign up?

Re: App store bill sails out of Senate Judiciary Committee

#116
post #69

As long as this does not cause an exodus from the App Store and I am forced to start paying for apps directly, I am fine with this. But a strong benefit to the App Store for me is being able to manage and cancel my subscriptions from a central place. No going through 5 screens, no being forced to call, no any of that crap. I can already see apps refusing to carry through the App Store so they can control more, and I…

You are in luck! Another way to manage subscriptions client side is to use PayPal. In the same way you have control over all your subscriptions in one place, and can cancel without the interference of the counterparty - a great benefit indeed. And paypal can work with anything, any entity that has a PayPal account. PP is, of course, not without its own horror stories, however a lot of that is around p2p selling-gone-…

How I read this:

You're in luck! Another way to [solve problem] is to [introduce another problem]. XD

Re: App store bill sails out of Senate Judiciary Committee

#118
post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If I paid for Apple's centralization, by buying their products, and now that's being forcefully removed from me. How is this ok?

What's being removed from you again? Don't sideload apps if you don't like sideloading. Keep using Apple's app store if you like it, or maybe in the future, you will find you like an app store better than Apple's. We will never find out if someone does it better than Apple, if nobody can even try.

> What's being removed from you again? Don't sideload apps if you don't like sideloading. Keep using Apple's app store if you like it, or maybe in the future, you will find you like an app store better than Apple's. We will never find out if someone does it better than Apple, if nobody can even try.

Um, the fact I've told any semi-non-competent person to buy iPhone because it very specifically won't screw up like the popup ridden land of Android.

Re: App store bill sails out of Senate Judiciary Committee

#119
post #79

If this comes into effect will we see a plethora of appstores on each devices? Every app worth its salt will want to create their own bundle or App Store and hope to control their own end to end experience. I cannot imagine how terrible that experience is going to be.

Well, my user experience is my problem. Other people dictating how should I experience my devices is hugely condescending.

It becomes everyones user experience when every big company only offers their software on their own app store so they don't have to pay anyone else a cut.

Re: App store bill sails out of Senate Judiciary Committee

#120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Android is in fact the dominant platform by number of users, and has cool stuff like cloud gaming apps that iOS does not. There are also other aspects of the iPhone that many people prefer over Android phones, e.g. hardware features and quality. The point about sandboxing is relevant because many people conflate sandboxing protections with the protections offered by App Review, and thus are afraid that non-App Store…

Cloud gaming exists on iOS as well. And is just as insignificant there as it is on other platforms. And you are being disingenuous by deliberately ignoring the manual checks that Apple's review team does to prevent malicious apps from being disseminated. I work for a bank and my Mac laptop has 6 apps pre-installed designed purely to prevent malware/viruses. The same will unquestionably be needed on iOS for those usin…

Macs offer the option to run apps without any sandboxing whatsoever – meaning an app can run totally unrestricted and read, modify, or delete any file of any other app, including most system files.

We’re not asking for that on iOS.

So there’s no reason to think you’ll ever need "6 apps pre-installed designed purely to prevent malware/viruses” on your phone.

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