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Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

deccanherald.com

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Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#141

Post by wtmt »

harpratap wrote: post #46
zapdrive wrote: post #3

Ok maybe the Indian govt can force Android phone manufacturers to pre install it's app store, how is this going to play out on iPhones? Are we going to see a ban on iPhones in India?

Apple has a history of complying with government requests. They opened up NFC stack when UK requested it. Added SMS spam reporting integration with TRAI in India. And all the changes they do for complying with PRC

The spam integration wasn’t done in the way TRAI was pushing Apple to. On Android, the DND (Do Not Disturb) app could get permissions to the call log and SMS, but this wasn’t possible on iOS. Apple pushed back on that requirement for privacy reasons and instead developed a way for the reporting to be done by the user and the information passed to the DND app to compose (not send) an SMS. No compromises were made to grant any permissions. To this day, the SMS permissions doesn’t exist on iOS.

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#142

Post by anaganisk »

Modi is a pure marketing person representing JIO and PayTM period, he just wants their spyware to be pre-installed. Nothing more, now if you want proof, watch the down votes. He is the kind of PM who doesn't meet journalists, doesn't take questions. And all he does is Marketing. No execution went atleast good till now.

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#143

Post by wtmt »

This is going to be a big mess. PayTM as a company isn’t known for respecting user privacy. The CEO’s brother was caught in a sting video saying they could sell any user’s information for a price (search online and you’ll find the video). All that these Indian startups care is for them to benefit and control everything. It’s not about equitable treatment. It’s more about regulatory capture and making sure that their apps somehow become pre-installed on devices. As for the government’s apps being pre-installed, one couldn’t ask for worse things. The COVID-19 contact tracing app, Aarogya Setu, needs location and Bluetooth access all the time “to help the user.” You can imagine what a bunch of such apps can do.

If you think I’m being hyperbolic, just wait for Reliance Jio to announce its own App Store as the first one. It’ll come with the full force of the government behind it (who in a government wouldn’t love a telecom and network provider that loves slurping all data and is against end to end encryption when it’s done by other competing apps like WhatsApp?)

I feel bad for all the poorer people who already are forced to buy cheap Android phones that don’t get updates and are loaded with crapware and what not. As much as I despise Google for tracking users, I believe Google will look like a saint in front of these companies.

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#144

Post by raghavtoshniwal »

actuator wrote: post #97
diego_moita wrote: post #56

I welcome this. It will be messy, it will open oportunities to corruption, lobbying, crappy user experiences, unsafe apps, government abuse, nationalism, ... it is really a Pandora box. But mess can be a fertile ground for competition and innovation when excessive regulation blocks it. Today's app stores are just feature development labs for Apple & Google. There is no chance that anyone will be able to create a big…

I am just puzzled about one bit of this, why the hue and cry few days back about this. Don't Android App stores like the Amazon one already exist? What's stopping these devs to even distribute the apps themselves? iOS is a different matter but Android has always allowed this. Not sure if they exist in India, but I have seen Android phones come with non Google App Store as well.

Yeah alternate app stores exist but when something like this is driven from a nation stare, the Indian govt will most likely mandate inclusion of their AppStore on Android and iOS. Once it is loaded on by default, you suddenly gain 800 million strong distribution channel. It would be a no-brainer for devs to put their app on the strore. The same case could not have been made for Amazon's and Samsung's store.

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#145

Post by Mupuff »

diego_moita wrote: post #56

I welcome this. It will be messy, it will open oportunities to corruption, lobbying, crappy user experiences, unsafe apps, government abuse, nationalism, ... it is really a Pandora box. But mess can be a fertile ground for competition and innovation when excessive regulation blocks it. Today's app stores are just feature development labs for Apple & Google. There is no chance that anyone will be able to create a big…

But big businesses have been created so it's not entirely true.

Do you have any good examples where you think innovation has been stifled on the play store? (Apple's app store aside)

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#146

Post by raghavtoshniwal »

wtmt wrote: post #143

This is going to be a big mess. PayTM as a company isn’t known for respecting user privacy. The CEO’s brother was caught in a sting video saying they could sell any user’s information for a price (search online and you’ll find the video). All that these Indian startups care is for them to benefit and control everything. It’s not about equitable treatment. It’s more about regulatory capture and making sure that their…

It would be messy for sure but there is somewhat precedence for it. WeChat operates its own AppStores and is subservient to the CCP. 'Running' your own AppStore is forbidden in the iOS terms of service but when you have the might of a billion people, some rules are okay to be broken.

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#148

Post by fwn »

IshKebab wrote: post #115
pojntfx wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

... or they could just create a PWA and publish it on the free and open web and have the app be available globally in 40s w/o any regulations or artificial restrictions.

PWAs are not as good as real apps though.

I use them wherever I can because they allow me to block ads, analytics and other unpleasant elements like nudges, etc.

But I'm far from an expert. What would be the benefit of a non-pw app?

Re: Modi government to set up app store alternative to Google Play, Apple App Store

#150

Post by dgellow »

abc-xyz wrote: post #133
dgellow wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You mean that us, developers, will have to choose the right fit between multiple options, in a competitive ecosystem? That’s exactly what I want!

Have you tried publishing apps for the App/Play Store? Last time I made a game with Unity then I had to export it to different platforms and for some of them, such as iOS, then I had to make additional code modifications with xcode to get e.g. ads to work properly. I’d easily end up spending a day on making sure each store listing looked good (required files in different formats, and tons of settings to setup). I als…

Yes, I do have applications on Android, iOS, macOS.

I want more competition in app stores, I want places where adult applications can be distributed which is completely impossible at the moment. I want app stores that offer different models than what Apple and google do. I want Apple to have to improve their developer experience because of competition (the google play store is way simpler to deal with in my experience). Etc.

And you’re right, it’s a pain to deal with them.

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