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

Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

macrumors.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

161–170 of 1001 posts

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#161

Post by Nullabillity »

CaptainMarvel wrote: post #121
Vinnl wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I assume you're aware and have some other reason that disqualifies it (e.g. you're in the US), but Fairphone does exist and comes pretty close (i.e. PostmarketOS is supposed to run, at least): https://www.fairphone.com/

Thank you. I did actually come across this a few weeks ago as I semi-regularly search for new phones in my despair! It is the closest phone to what I have been after for a while. I particularly like their long software support and their support for right-to-repair. It runs stock Android, however I'm not sure whether that means Google is still fully entrenched into all aspects of the phone by default including through…

Fairphone runs pretty standard Google Android, basically what you get in the emulator if you ask for the "Google Play" image, sliightly closer to AOSP than the Pixels.

The bootloader can be unlocked trivially (just like on OnePlus/Nexus), but loses SafetyNet when you do.

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#163

Post by addicted »

rekoil wrote: post #135
concinds wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't overcomplicate it. They want to preserve their Services revenue, because Tim Cook is a bean-counter and wants to maintain the profit margin. "After Steve" by Tripp Mickle provides some background. Many Apple indie devs and fanboys are literally screaming. I bet many people @Apple are too. There are so many things the company could do to regain geek-cred. Package manager and windowing on macOS. Align Mac App Sto…

They would make money hand-over-fist if they did all of that.

And before the Apple fanbois come and tell you how Apple is a multi trillion dollar business so they know what they’re doing, a reminder that Apple didn’t want the App Store in the first place, and wanted 3rd party apps to be web apps.

It was the popularity of unofficially created apps running on unlocked original iPhones (which led to many unlocking their iPhone) that convinced Apple to create the App Store.

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#164

Post by afavour »

nerdjon wrote: post #157

It really bothers me that so much of this is focused on the developers, and that is the problem here. How many users actually want this? I am sure some, but I doubt it is a significant number. I have said this before here, but I am not looking forward to when this likely eventually comes to the US and as a user I have less control over my phone, not more. The walled garden is why I chose an iPhone and continue to sta…

> so much of this is focused on the developers, and that is the problem here. How many users actually want this?

How many users actually understand the issues at stake, though? I don't say that to be patronizing but it's a nuanced, thorny problem. I bet if you simply asked "do you think it should be allowed to download porn apps?" a good number of users (if asked anonymously!) would say yes. How many users understand why they can't subscribe to Netflix through the iOS app? How many know what Apple's cut even is? The government has all kinds of regulation in what my utility providers can and can't do, in ways I'm not fully clued into. I see this as similar.

> I have less control over my phone, not more.

> Developers I also hope quickly realize that if they try to push me to subscribe outside of the App Store they will get $0 from me instead of 70%.

To my mind all of this comes back to the free market: you're free to ignore all this stuff and keep getting everything through the App Store. If you and many others do the same thing then the market will prove the idea to be a dud.

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#165

Post by oblio »

ensignavenger wrote: post #130
pbhjpbhj wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't it that software developers need hardware, and Apple seek to use their position to prevent developers enabling users on their (the user's) hardware without paying a large fee to Apple. Apple already got paid a large fee as manufacturer though Put another way: Devs don't need iPhones, they need users to have freedom to install the apps they choose to on the computing devices those users own; regardless of the th…

Th DMA was written explicitly to target a small group of mostly American tech companies, while excluding others like Nintendo. Traditionally, console manufacturers have lost money on hardware, and made it up in license fees for software and accessories. It is a bit more complicated in reality, and I think that situation should change, but the DMA as currently written won't have any impact on it.

It's targeting high impact companies.

Smart phones are universal, 90% penetration. Game consoles are at best at 20% or similar.

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#166

Post by oblio »

paulcole wrote: post #145
pbmonster wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They are deeply involved. If it’s that bad for developers, drop the iPhone and develop solely for Android. EU: "No."

Yes, that's called having differing opinions and it's not bad. If enough people in the EU agree with this, go for it. If Apple ends up saying that they're willing to abide by the letter of the law and no more, great.

Apple's not abiding by the letter of the law, though. They're the drug dealer flushing drugs before the cops come in, or in this case Apple is trying to buy time because each month they can delay this they're probably making $1bn more.

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#167

Post by peoplefromibiza »

nerdjon wrote: post #157

It really bothers me that so much of this is focused on the developers, and that is the problem here. How many users actually want this? I am sure some, but I doubt it is a significant number. I have said this before here, but I am not looking forward to when this likely eventually comes to the US and as a user I have less control over my phone, not more. The walled garden is why I chose an iPhone and continue to sta…

> The walled garden is why I chose an iPhone

And that's fine

The feature is not for you

You can keep using your iPhone as you always did, through the Apple app store

But, there's a but: how many users would answer "no" to "would you like to download our app and get a 30% discount for the same exact features"?

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#168

Post by alwayslikethis »

EMIRELADERO wrote: post #105

Apple is still non-compliant with the requirements of the DMA, especially in regards to Article 6(7), which provides: "The gatekeeper shall allow business users and alternative providers of services provided together with, or in support of, core platform services, free of charge, effective interoperability with, and access for the purposes of interoperability to, the same operating system, hardware or software featur…

The rules aren't really strict enough it seems. The gatekeeper should not be able to have any control over app distribution at all. Notarization and other forms of code signing must be possible to turn off and should not place the gatekeeper in a privileged position (for example, it should be possible to enroll other certificates).

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#169

Post by TheLoafOfBread »

overstay8930 wrote: post #5

The app still has to be notarized, this seems logical to me, I’d only be worried if they ever allowed unsigned apps to run. There are plenty of “free Vbucks” and survey sites that show you how to enable sideloading on Android to download said app that is just pure malware.

So how is it possible, that I can run unsigned, unnotarized applications on MacOS?

Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU

#170

Post by oblio »

paulcole wrote: post #143
realusername wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If it’s that bad for developers, drop the iPhone and develop solely for Android. That's what I've done personally but that's not something you can ask most companies.

Of course it is something you can ask most companies! Whether they'll do it or not is up to them.

Then what personal freedom is that in practice? The personal freedom to be ignored by thousands of companies?
Post reply on HN