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I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

judiciary.house.gov

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Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#51

Post by statop »

dessant wrote: post #14
Ansil849 wrote: post #7

> In November last year the App Review team made it clear that our apps were not welcome in the Store anymore as they actively removed our main app from the Store. They pointed to the rule (2.26) created just a couple of years ago about what kind of apps can recommend apps other than its own (by the way I still believe my apps fit the description). We of course have been aware of this rule since it came out, as we al…

You seem to not be interested in living with your right to install any app you want on your device, which is fine. But do you also believe that other people should not have the right to install software that has not been blessed by an authority on their devices? Do you think that general purpose computing devices, which an iPhone is, should no longer have the capability to run software without third-party auditing an…

You can side load apps

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.iclarified.com/52314/how-to...

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#52

Post by TheSoftwareGuy »

mhafez17 wrote: post #29

Wow. I am the author of this email. I have no idea how it resurfaced after 5 years, I was only made aware of this when a friend emailed me the HN link. The sad thing is it was not just my company which was targeted, but Apple removed this entire product category. We never knew the real reason why, or if it was bigger than just a random app reviewer trying to apply Apple policy, until May 2019. That's when Bloomberg i…

Sounds like apple didn't want any competition for in-store ads

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#53

Post by Hamuko »

TheSoftwareGuy wrote: post #52
mhafez17 wrote: post #29

Wow. I am the author of this email. I have no idea how it resurfaced after 5 years, I was only made aware of this when a friend emailed me the HN link. The sad thing is it was not just my company which was targeted, but Apple removed this entire product category. We never knew the real reason why, or if it was bigger than just a random app reviewer trying to apply Apple policy, until May 2019. That's when Bloomberg i…

Sounds like apple didn't want any competition for in-store ads

I still don't understand those. I paid god damn 1200 euro for this phone. Why am I seeing ads for shitty apps?

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#54

Post by Waterfall »

CobrastanJorji wrote: post #35
headmelted wrote: post #19

I mean, there’s a point to be made about how much monopoly power Apple holds, and it’s now clear these questions weren’t asked until now because lawmakers were really sweet on the maker of their shiny iPhone - but this letter ain’t it. The author is grovelling to the point of it being honestly pitiful. The amount of derogatory references to the web and Android also make it really hard for me not to question the motiv…

Your point, that nobody should make iOS apps as a business because that puts them in a lousy situation, is fair but not actionable. Sure, it's a risky proposition, but there are something like 20 million registered iOS app developers out there, and so we've moved well beyond whether this was a good decision on their part. Now we have to figure out how to make society work well for these 20 million people.

Not only that, but apple depends on the 3rd party apps and makes tools just for them. Don't depends solely on apple is actionable.

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#55

Post by emteycz »

gruez wrote: post #39
headmelted wrote: post #19

I mean, there’s a point to be made about how much monopoly power Apple holds, and it’s now clear these questions weren’t asked until now because lawmakers were really sweet on the maker of their shiny iPhone - but this letter ain’t it. The author is grovelling to the point of it being honestly pitiful. The amount of derogatory references to the web and Android also make it really hard for me not to question the motiv…

>got his deal reduced by 25% or so by Steve Jobs in person - after accepting it and flying out to Cupertino just because Jobs could and he wanted to make a point. make a point... to whom? The guy selling? He's already selling. He gave in. What more do you want?

I think that 'to pay less for what I deem worthless, while showing it off to the seller' is a pretty clear motivation

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#56

Post by zepto »

vmception wrote: post #45

> I fear App Review is getting too powerful. It's no longer about keeping iDevices safe or protecting the user's best Its amazing that people right here on hackernews, 5 years later, actually think it is about keeping iDevices safe when they see these legislature and regulatory movements against Apple I’m glad to see your email now

I actually think it’s about keeping iDevices safe.

However I’m also someone who thinks app recommendation apps are a good thing and should be allowed on the store.

I think the author of the PDF is not only trying to provide a valuable service, but is also right in pointing out that there are problems.

These things are not mutually exclusive.

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#57

Post by newhouseb »

headmelted wrote: post #19

I mean, there’s a point to be made about how much monopoly power Apple holds, and it’s now clear these questions weren’t asked until now because lawmakers were really sweet on the maker of their shiny iPhone - but this letter ain’t it. The author is grovelling to the point of it being honestly pitiful. The amount of derogatory references to the web and Android also make it really hard for me not to question the motiv…

> The author is grovelling to the point of it being honestly pitiful. The amount of derogatory references to the web and Android also make it really hard for me not to question the motivation behind this letter.

This is standard behavior when talking to Apple. Since they're so incredibly editorial about what they permit on their platform, it behooves you to suck up as much as possible.

Source: have personally represented my previous tiny startup and Dropbox at Apple HQ. Have been pissing off Apple executives with my creations for more than a decade.

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#58

Post by Hamuko »

zepto wrote: post #56
vmception wrote: post #45

> I fear App Review is getting too powerful. It's no longer about keeping iDevices safe or protecting the user's best Its amazing that people right here on hackernews, 5 years later, actually think it is about keeping iDevices safe when they see these legislature and regulatory movements against Apple I’m glad to see your email now

I actually think it’s about keeping iDevices safe. However I’m also someone who thinks app recommendation apps are a good thing and should be allowed on the store. I think the author of the PDF is not only trying to provide a valuable service, but is also right in pointing out that there are problems. These things are not mutually exclusive.

>I actually think it’s about keeping iDevices safe.

How are Hey or xCloud about keeping iDevices safe?

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#59

Post by kelnos »

gruez wrote: post #39
headmelted wrote: post #19

I mean, there’s a point to be made about how much monopoly power Apple holds, and it’s now clear these questions weren’t asked until now because lawmakers were really sweet on the maker of their shiny iPhone - but this letter ain’t it. The author is grovelling to the point of it being honestly pitiful. The amount of derogatory references to the web and Android also make it really hard for me not to question the motiv…

>got his deal reduced by 25% or so by Steve Jobs in person - after accepting it and flying out to Cupertino just because Jobs could and he wanted to make a point. make a point... to whom? The guy selling? He's already selling. He gave in. What more do you want?

I guess the point was made to the guy selling, to say "I own you and can do whatever I want, including modify the terms of a deal we just made".

Re: I fear App Review is getting too powerful (2015) [pdf]

#60

Post by LurkersWillLurk »

guessbest wrote: post #43
mhafez17 wrote: post #29

Wow. I am the author of this email. I have no idea how it resurfaced after 5 years, I was only made aware of this when a friend emailed me the HN link. The sad thing is it was not just my company which was targeted, but Apple removed this entire product category. We never knew the real reason why, or if it was bigger than just a random app reviewer trying to apply Apple policy, until May 2019. That's when Bloomberg i…

Congratulations, you are now part of an antitrust suit. https://judiciary.house.gov/uploadedfiles/015127.pdf

This is the same file as the original submission. But can you explain how this email got its way to the House Judiciary Committee?
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