Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support • Hacker News Board

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#41

Post by cybrox » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 2:18 PM UTC

alanscarpa wrote: post #20

Makes sense. Apple doesn't want you using their app store in a way that could be promoting their competition. For example, maybe I'm browsing the app store for new apps and I come across this app in question. Reading the description I see it says something about the Pebble watch...hmmm..I've never heard of this. Now I look it up, it looks cool, I like it, now I want to buy the Pebble instead of the Apple watch. Their…

While I technically agree with this, it is absolute nonsense from a user point of view. As the provider of an important host system, you might want to consider allowing people to list supported platforms in order to make it possible for the user to see which apps he can use with the equipment he has.

It might be right from an objective point of view but it's a plain out dick-ish behaviour towards user friendly app management aka the user itself.

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#42

Post by yoda_sl » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 2:18 PM UTC

TorKlingberg wrote: post #29

yoda_sl wrote: post #10

Not sure what really is the big deal here... Apple had I think such requirements for not mentioning any other products or even mentioning pricing in your product description aka "On sale today only for $0.99" will get the same rejection... It is ok to put a % So this is nothing new and just one Apple employee/reviewers that follow the rules from the guidelines... If the folks that were submitting the app try to resub…

If the whole purpose of an app is to be used with the Pebble, it's a bit strange if it cannot mention "Pebble" in the description don't you think?

I do have myself a Pebble and honestly I find my Pebble apps in the Pebble store... Not looking in the Apple App Store

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#43

Post by k-mcgrady » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 2:19 PM UTC

learnstats2 wrote: post #17

icebraining wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

iOS is far from having a monopoly in the market (smartphones and tablets). No, monopoly over their devices doesn't count.

Vendor lock-in does count as monopolistic behaviour https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vendor_lock-in

Monopolistic behaviour != has a monopoly.

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#44

Post by cybrox » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 2:19 PM UTC

Drakim wrote: post #37

alanscarpa wrote: post #20

Makes sense. Apple doesn't want you using their app store in a way that could be promoting their competition. For example, maybe I'm browsing the app store for new apps and I come across this app in question. Reading the description I see it says something about the Pebble watch...hmmm..I've never heard of this. Now I look it up, it looks cool, I like it, now I want to buy the Pebble instead of the Apple watch. Their…

Would it be okay for Google to censor competitors in their search?

Ask the EU - and compare that hilarious case to the apple store problem we have here.... http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-15-4781_en.htm

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#45

Post by Flimm » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 2:20 PM UTC

yoda_sl wrote: post #39

onion2k wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple had I think such requirements for not mentioning any other products... They have a line about not mentioning other mobile platforms. The latest version of SeaNav is 3.2.6, so it's been there for a while, with Apple happily accepting it and its description. What appears to have changed is Apple have decided that Pebble is a "mobile platform" only since the launch of the Apple Watch. That is arguably change to th…

The OP title is " Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support" Sorry but no Apple is not rejecting such apps... It just doesn't want other product name mentioned. And yes Apple is the gatekeeper of the Apple ecosystem... It is just the way it is. I am not saying that what Apple is doing is right, but the OP statement is wrong

It's not just they're the gatekeeper, it's that as gatekeeper they're acting against users' interest in this case.

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#46

Post by marcosdumay » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 2:20 PM UTC

jonhohle wrote: post #28

sesteel wrote: post #4

I am no lawyer, but this sounds like an antitrust lawsuit waiting to happen. Apple, IMO, should not be allowed to monopolize their platform in this way.

Apple has no monopoly in any market. Their platform terms and conditions may (or may not) be draconian, but what antitrust concerns can be taken seriously? Apple owns a small (but profitable) share of every market in which they operate.

They have a total monopoly on the software market for iDevices. Even if the way they got that monopoly wasn't abusive, they are abusing it now.

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#47

Post by fmsf » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 2:20 PM UTC

My guess is that in Europe they could get an anti trust lawsuit. Comparing it with internet explorer on windows anti trust lawsuit from EU, Microsoft was forced to acknowledge and provide choice of competitor platforms that where compatible with the system (Firefox, Chrome, Opera,...).

Under the same logic, pebble is just an laternative platform compatible with the system (IOS + SeaNav).

But either way that is a behavior that is characteristic of Apple and doesn't surprise me at all.

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#48

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 2:21 PM UTC

creshal wrote: post #34

berkay wrote: post #18

The title is misleading at best. Apple does not care what support you have. They just don't want you to advertise that in their app store.

Yep. Same if you mention in your app that it's also available on Android. Fascist? Yes. Surprising? No. New? Certainly not.

[deleted]

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#49

Post by jdmichal » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 2:23 PM UTC

ebbv wrote: post #21

There's a lot of cries of monopoly in here, yet the iPhone is routinely outsold by Android phones. "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

I see very few cries of monopoly, and many cries of antitrust. These are not the same thing, at all. This particular instance could be approaching a tying arrangement. It is certainly against the consumer's best interest.

Also, under the Sherman act, conspiracy to monopoly is just as illegal as actual monopoly.

Re: Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support

#50

Post by bryanlarsen » Thu, Apr 23, 2015, 2:24 PM UTC

yoda_sl wrote: post #39

onion2k wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple had I think such requirements for not mentioning any other products... They have a line about not mentioning other mobile platforms. The latest version of SeaNav is 3.2.6, so it's been there for a while, with Apple happily accepting it and its description. What appears to have changed is Apple have decided that Pebble is a "mobile platform" only since the launch of the Apple Watch. That is arguably change to th…

The OP title is " Apple now rejecting apps with Pebble Smartwatch support" Sorry but no Apple is not rejecting such apps... It just doesn't want other product name mentioned. And yes Apple is the gatekeeper of the Apple ecosystem... It is just the way it is. I am not saying that what Apple is doing is right, but the OP statement is wrong

But there are apps in the App Store that their only purpose is as a companion for a Pebble app, not to mention the main Pebble app itself. It will be impossible for such apps to change their metadata to avoid mentioning Pebble. Therefore it appears that in the future Apple will be de-facto rejecting such apps.