Apple announces ability to download apps directly from websites in EU • Hacker News Board

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

#471

Post by crotchfire » Tue, Mar 12, 2024, 6:35 PM UTC

ho_schi wrote: post #229

Apple isn’t considering that they are the baddies? I suggest strong regulation of the complete BigIT and two chairs for public observers at minimum. In addition they are not allowed to enter any new market. Why? Because it worked well with AT&T . Results: * UNIX * C * Open-Source * Public Documentation Sounds good? Until the Reagan administration appeared, allowed them to split up (Baby Bells), the UNIX-Wars followed…

> allowed them to split up (Baby Bells)

That's some pretty baldfaced revisionism you've got going on there.

They were ordered to do this by a court: https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=120938923478579...

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

#472

Post by pmontra » Tue, Mar 12, 2024, 6:37 PM UTC

fxtentacle wrote: post #12

"The Core Technology Fee (CTF) is an element of the business terms in the EU that reflects the value Apple provides developers through ongoing investments in the tools, technologies, and services that enable them to build and share innovative apps with users around the world." I feel sick. Yet, I am intrigued by what kind of drugs the PR team at Apple is taking... ;) In my opinion, Apple's proprietary APIs provide a…

> I am intrigued by what kind of drugs the PR team at Apple is taking

No drugs. PR teams write what helps their company to succeed. They don't have to believe into what they write.

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

#473

Post by justinclift » Tue, Mar 12, 2024, 6:38 PM UTC

user_7832 wrote: post #447

justinclift wrote: post #333

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's "decel"?

"decelerationist" apparently. > “Decel” is a derogatory slang word used by the e/acc community. From https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/dont-be-a-decel

Thanks. :)

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

#474

Post by toyg » Tue, Mar 12, 2024, 6:40 PM UTC

noirscape wrote: post #62

lapcat wrote: post #3

This is just more malicious compliance by Apple. Indie developers are completely locked out of web distribution, and it applies only to developers who are already paying the Apple tax. > To be eligible for Web Distribution, you must: > Be a member of good standing in the Apple Developer Program for two continuous years or more, and have an app that had more than one million first annual installs on iOS in the EU in t…

> and have an app that had more than one million first annual installs on iOS in the EU in the prior calendar year. In other words the option is still a joke not worth using. "Yes, you can distribute independently... as long as you've already been popular on the iOS App Store in the past year".

It's a half-assed bribe to try and keep big developers on their side. "Alright, alright, we'll let you keep some money - just stop crying to the regulators already!"

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

#475

Post by amadeuspagel » Tue, Mar 12, 2024, 6:40 PM UTC

Terretta wrote: post #395

tombert wrote: post #384

It baffles the mind that having exactly one marketplace with rent-seeking level fees that neither users nor developers can opt out of doesn't violate some kind of antitrust law in the United States. Though it looks like the EU iPhone users are only in a marginally better position.

Tell your mind it's an appliance/console.* Still baffled? Because nobody seems baffled they can't run arbitrary software on their Amazon Echo Show, AppleTV, Xbox, Playstation, or Switch. * If your mind is struggling with this, you might need a bicycle for the mind to help. ;-) But seriously, Apple's brand and value prop since original Mac has been to toasterize compute and make it friendly approachable and non-fiddly…

No one cares about these devices. If you care, feel free to lobby for some regulation to address this. I doubt you'll face much opposition from people who want to install arbitrary software on their iPhone.

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

#476

Post by criddell » Tue, Mar 12, 2024, 6:40 PM UTC

Ballas wrote: post #6

I just want to be able to install my own apps on my own device without paying $99/year (and with a signature that lasts a reasonable amount of time). Sadly, this doesn't seem to allow for that.

I've wanted to be able to do this on video game consoles for ages. I have a powerful computer with a big screen in my living room but I'm locked out of it.

I hope once the EU starts to look at Sony and Nintendo next.

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

#477

Post by smoldesu » Tue, Mar 12, 2024, 6:41 PM UTC

mvdtnz wrote: post #454

McDyver wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Reminds me of this: "The intent is to provide players with a sense of pride and accomplishment for unlocking different heroes. As for cost, we selected initial values based upon data from the Open Beta and other adjustments made to milestone rewards before launch. Among other things, we're looking at average per-player credit earn rates on a daily basis, and we'll be making constant adjustments to ensure that players…

Are we supposed to know who you're quoting and what it's even about?

"pride and accomplishment" was a bit of a gamedev meme for a while, related to EA completely fumbling their response to a PR mishap: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/events/star-wars-battlefront-...

It tends to get brought up whenever dainty corporate language is used to justify a casino for children, or something similarly nefarious.

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

#478

Post by lgeorget » Tue, Mar 12, 2024, 6:42 PM UTC

pg_1234 wrote: post #425

onlyrealcuzzo wrote: post #209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

~20% of Apple's total earnings (not revenue) could come from the App Store: https://deepwatermgmt.com/apples-app-store-is-an-important-p... When you look at the multiple on services - the App Store could easily be >40% of Apple's total market cap. They're going to stick their fingers in their ears as long as they can to defend that. You don't give up the golden goose. You defend it.

The EU should make a public service announcement. Something along the lines of: "We urge all EU citizens with Apple devices to have an alternate means of accessing critical internet services like banking, to protect themselves in the event we are forced to block all Apple services EU-wide for legal non-compliance." ... then watch AAPL stock drop below NVDA ... ... and Apple come crawling back, suitably obedient.

That sounds awfully like market manipulation. We need something a tad more subtle.

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

#479

Post by giantrobot » Tue, Mar 12, 2024, 6:43 PM UTC

addicted wrote: post #163

rekoil wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

> 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.

This just isn't the case. The first iPhone with iOS 1.0 was essentially a very advanced demo that just barely made it out the door. There was no SDK, API documentation, or much of any developer toolchain for early iOS. Ask anyone that fought to build even simple unofficial apps what a nightmare using those early frameworks was like. They were not ready for public consumption.

Web apps were never the long term goal for third parties. Steve Jobs might have said that in public but it was a deflection about native SDK questions. Web apps were a stopgap until the dumpster fire of an internal SDK could be rebuilt.

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

#480

Post by scarface_74 » Tue, Mar 12, 2024, 6:44 PM UTC

onlyrealcuzzo wrote: post #209

Etheryte wrote: post #84

The 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…

~20% of Apple's total earnings (not revenue) could come from the App Store: https://deepwatermgmt.com/apples-app-store-is-an-important-p... When you look at the multiple on services - the App Store could easily be >40% of Apple's total market cap. They're going to stick their fingers in their ears as long as they can to defend that. You don't give up the golden goose. You defend it.

And from what I read, only 7% of the App Store revenue comes from the EU.