Earlier quoted context omitted.
Android Firefox lets you have uBlock origin, among other things.
But not about:config :(
Just opened Firefox on my Pixel, typed in "about:config", and got a long list of configuration options.
Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU
351–360 of 1001 posts
Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU
#352The terms and conditions for web distribution [0] are concerning to say the least. In short, you have to have at least one million first installs annually on iOS to even qualify, in addition to other terms such as "good standing in the Apple Developer Program for two continuous years or more". I doubt Epic and the like would be considered in good standing as far as Apple is concerned. Also, quote unquote, developers…
Charging per install rather than per subscription is hilarious, almost as if all of this is designed to wind up the EU and cause the largest possible fine.
It's designed to sow confusion among the big vendors in the app store driving most of the revenue, and keep them walled in where it's 'safe'.
Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU
#353I wonder why the EU is pushing Apple this hard, and not the other gatekeepers. For example, Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo consoles should now support an external store.
Because smartphones have become an ubiquitous and essential part of everyday life (communication, information access, and services) for large parts of the population, which is not true for gaming consoles.
Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU
#354I wonder why the EU is pushing Apple this hard, and not the other gatekeepers. For example, Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo consoles should now support an external store.
That would be cool if they did. And lets extend it to all devices. Once I pay for a device, I should be able to do whatever I want with it.
Just be ready for Xbox and Sony to stop subsidizing their console prices then. That may be the future anyways as Xbox (and Sony really recently) push towards cross-plat gaming.
Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU
#355Earlier quoted context omitted.
Some of these things could happen, but I don’t see Rosetta being kept around indefinitely. Keeping compatibility layers around becomes increasingly expensive with time, encumbering OS development and encouraging devs to never update their apps. It also opens up possibility of multiple compatibility layers being maintained at the same time, which multiplies these issues. It’s much easier to just make virtualization of…
Easier for Apple, but worse for users. Apple's main argument has always been this: "encouraging devs to never update their apps", but I don't buy it. Active developers all update promptly long before any threats of deprecation; they even go out of their way to switch to shiny stuff like SwiftUI. It's the long tail that doesn't get updated, and Apple's deprecation velocity changes nothing. Portal 2 (not Rosetta I know…
> Apple's main argument has always been this: "encouraging devs to never update their apps"
That doesn't right at all.
Apple famously dropped support for 32 bit binaries on iOS/iPadOS a while back (it's why I sold my iPad Pro).
Pretty sure they dropped support for 32 bit binaries on macOS at some point as well.
Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU
#356Earlier quoted context omitted.
I just wonder how products like game consoles would be viable under a law like this. I assume they would have to cost much more and there would be far less incentive for their development in the first place. Then again, we are at the end stages of game consoles. Microsoft in particular seems to be considering the idea of not even bothering with hardware. Software is where the money is, Chinese hardware companies can…
MS already allows you to unlock the ability to run custom code on their hardware for a ~$20 fee. Sony doesn't seem to do this yet, but on the other hand, they did eventually get the disk drive version of the PS5 to not sell at a loss. So, I don't think it'd affect them too much. Alternative stores would mainly just end up being convenient for small indies and homebrew developers, neither of which would've been able t…
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Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU
#357Earlier quoted context omitted.
> That's probably to prevent the most obvious workaround of creating a new shell company for every million users. Which would be all around moot because the fee itself is illegal.
> Which would be all around moot because the fee itself is illegal I haven’t seen any statement in any jurisdiction by lawmakers or judges that supports that claim. It also would, to me, feel inconsistent with the rulings I read about: - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_Games_v._Apple#Decision : “Rogers found in favor of Apple on nine of ten counts brought up against them in the case, including Epic's charges relat…
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Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU
#358Earlier quoted context omitted.
What applications are necessary to call it a general purpose computer? A web browser? A self-hosted development environment? I don't think there's a bright line between what applications a Playstation or Xbox has versus what a phone has. And it's not like the iPhone is the only phone you can get. If Apple is restricting such a core component of our lives, you can simply buy non-Apple products.
Games consoles are designed, marketed and used to play games and for similar entertainment purposes. You are not going to do your online banking on an Xbox, or write a letter on a PlayStation, even if the hardware is theoretically capable of that, it’s just not what it’s for .
That's what people said about phones at first too. The Nintendo Switch has the same capabilities with its touchscreen. Its more than capable of taking the place of an iPad.
Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU
#359The terms and conditions for web distribution [0] are concerning to say the least. In short, you have to have at least one million first installs annually on iOS to even qualify, in addition to other terms such as "good standing in the Apple Developer Program for two continuous years or more". I doubt Epic and the like would be considered in good standing as far as Apple is concerned. Also, quote unquote, developers…
It's sad to see Apple adopting kind of an Oracle way of business. "Kind of"... They were screwed by Microsoft in the past. And now they're the ones screwing every single small and mid-sized software shop everywhere. When will we stop buying their products?
Never buying an apple product again personally, or building ios apps.
Re: Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU
#360Why isn't making the iPhone unavailable for sale in Europe not an option?
Because Europe constitutes a quarter of Apples revenue, a large part of which is iPhones and related services.