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Apple: Apps should not require users to opt into tracking to access content

developer.apple.com

161–170 of 274 posts

Re: Apple: Apps should not require users to opt into tracking to access content

#161
post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple profits from knowing their users' app/music/news/books/siri etc preferences and making purchase suggestions, don't they?

That's not quite the same as selling that information to political 'think tanks' to buy influence in an election.

[deleted]

Re: Apple: Apps should not require users to opt into tracking to access content

#162
post #3

Full text of the clause: > 3.2.2 Unacceptable > (vi) Apps should allow a user to get what they’ve paid for without performing additional tasks, such as posting on social media, uploading contacts, checking in to the app a certain number of times, etc. Apps should not require users to rate the app, review the app, watch videos, download other apps, tap on advertisements, enable tracking, or take other similar actions…

The Hitman Sniper app does at least one of those “unacceptable” things: They offer (not really) “free” digital items in exchange for “likes” on Facebook. And there seems to be more app functionality tied to Facebook logins.

Will big players like Square Enix be made to comply with those rules or is it only the little guys?

Re: Apple: Apps should not require users to opt into tracking to access content

#163
post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No 3rd party apps stores will not guarantee my one click subscription cancelation Like Apple does, for example

The existence of a third party App Store doesn’t prevent you from voting with your feet and sticking with Apples App Store, if that’s a valuable feature to you.

Apple won’t allow it because of $ and because it breaks their vertical integration strategy

Re: Apple: Apps should not require users to opt into tracking to access content

#164
post #107
post #3

Full text of the clause: > 3.2.2 Unacceptable > (vi) Apps should allow a user to get what they’ve paid for without performing additional tasks, such as posting on social media, uploading contacts, checking in to the app a certain number of times, etc. Apps should not require users to rate the app, review the app, watch videos, download other apps, tap on advertisements, enable tracking, or take other similar actions…

Wow this is why my next phone will be an iphone, so sick of apps in Android play store pestering me to rate their app after completing an action in the app or forcing me to turn on location services when I can easily enter a zip code instead.

And hopefully sideloading is never allowed, or apps would just bypass any such customer focused regulation and most users would again be forced into a poor UX.

Re: Apple: Apps should not require users to opt into tracking to access content

#165
post #99
post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They advertise a whole product which draws all this tracking data as nice graphs to developers: https://developer.apple.com/app-store-connect/analytics/ It's essentially Google Analytics, just for apps on iOS. Where do you think those "Daily active devices" data comes from?

Users must opt in though. It’s part of the iOS set up to allow this and you can change it any time

It's opt out.

Re: Apple: Apps should not require users to opt into tracking to access content

#166
post #3

Full text of the clause: > 3.2.2 Unacceptable > (vi) Apps should allow a user to get what they’ve paid for without performing additional tasks, such as posting on social media, uploading contacts, checking in to the app a certain number of times, etc. Apps should not require users to rate the app, review the app, watch videos, download other apps, tap on advertisements, enable tracking, or take other similar actions…

Can it also not require Apple to get a 30% cut when we buy something from within an app, like... oh, IDK, a Fortnite skin? Because I think requiring us to tack on a 30% tax or for the devs to take a 30% loss on something Apple has nothing to do with is also unacceptable.

Technically only buying Vbucks is an “in app purchase”, using the Vbucks to buy a skin would not be.

But I agree that’s a bit pedantic

Re: Apple: Apps should not require users to opt into tracking to access content

#167
post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Note that “tracking” is used in an intentionally misleading way here. Apple’s guidelines expressly permit all sorts of silent, invisible, no-opt-in tracking within apps, and most apps in the app store embed this sort of spyware. The term “tracking” in this instance refers to GPS or contacts permission and other such things that Apple has built an opt-in switch for.

What sort of "silent, invisible, no-opt-in tracking" does Apple allow?

Pretty much anything except location tracking via GPS, unless the users clicks allow. So exactly the same as Google.

Re: Apple: Apps should not require users to opt into tracking to access content

#168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But 3rd party app stores just mean a race to the bottom. The app store with the least oversight and cheapest prices would be the winner. Policies like this are good for users but bad for apps and by extension app stores.

Doesn't seem to happen on Android.

My previous experience with the PlayStore might have been different than yours.

In the context of this guideline and other user focused non-tracking/permissions related things, the PlayStore is “already at bottom”.

Re: Apple: Apps should not require users to opt into tracking to access content

#170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's a terrifying idea. Horrifying. I absolutely detest this idea of third party app stores. Please tell me why this is a good idea when literally your entire life and its contents are contained in this palm sized device. Do you really want sideloading of apps that asks average joes for ransomware? We already have another sandbox - browsers. And you're seeing problems with extensions, popups, .dmg downloads and .ex…

Good, then feel free to not install a 3rd party app store. Your device will continue to be secure, or whatever you think it is right now.

Big enough players are too hard to push back against as an individual. Group purchasing power is required.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24287042

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