App Store to Be 'Split in Two' Ahead of EU iPhone Sideloading Deadline

[Shirasaki]

The EU’s power stops within its borders. They can suck a big fat one trying to influence policy in the US.

Let’s divide the world again shall we? What can go wrong?

 

[scorpio vega]

Yay OS like is lagdroid. This is truly annoying to see but thank god it’s eu only for now.

I’ll go back to windows phones before I ever have anything remotely close to android, if this is the way iOS is going.

 

[scorpio vega]

That comparison would make sense if a hamburger was an indispensable item in people's lives and if McDonald's was one out of two companies in the world making hamburgers.

Understanding the difference is crucial.

It’s literally the same argument.

 

[scorpio vega]

maybe you should get a android. Idk why people want so many android features on iphone. For that, just get an android.

It’s truly annoying really.

 

[icanhazmac]

I do have to give some credit for Apple successfully brainwashed enough customers to support their “sideloading = evil” narrative.

The constant mantra here that anyone who enjoys and values the unique ecosystem of iOS is somehow "brainwashed" is insulting and it is truly sad that you and others parrot this nonsense.

iOS provides a unique, one stop shop store, for app research, purchase, updates and customer service. If only MacOS operated the same way. #chefskiss

I have no desire for the following:

• Searching the web to find apps and needing to compare their features on individual tabs or screens. Obscure devs of course being buried by the big boys wallets and cash influenced search results. While Apple allows devs to pay for placement at least all the others are there and not relegated to page 7 of a Google search (probably by Google as a favor to devs of choice).
• Being forced to open app store accounts with the likes of Meta, Steam, Amazon, Microsoft, Epic, etc, etc, etc., including every single small dev that wants to "go it alone" to make more margin (consumers certainly won't see any savings). This includes for apps I already own that change stores because of exclusive distribution agreements.
• Having no privacy scorecards because no one will make them if they aren't forced to.
• Having to trust that every small dev chooses a reputable payment processor. Anyone can be hacked but I trust Apple far more than most.
• Having to update each app individually via that apps web site or store

Why is it so hard to understand that people value this ecosystem and for those that don't you have options. You might not have an iPhone or iOS but you will have the same apps and the freedom to purchase via alt-stores.

No one is forced to purchase an iPhone and no one is forced to code their apps for an iPhone. There alternatives, you do have options. Don't like the Apple App store? Don't write your apps for iOS, simple as that! If you apps are so great, people will buy a phone that runs them.

Allowing mindless bureaucrats to regulate away this unique ecosystem is a mistake and wrong. Let the market decide, if Apple is too restrictive with the walled garden then they will lose market share. If they do not lose market share it is because their users value their ecosystem. Simple as that.

Just because Windows and MacOS operate via a different system doesn't mean that system is good or that it should be the only way. Other ways can and should exist, we don't need everything to be regulated into vanilla mediocrity.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

Japan has joined the chat, in 1943.

And how'd that turn out for Japan?

 

[Timo_Existencia]

Let’s divide the world again shall we? What can go wrong?

Let's ask Japan.

 

[scorpio vega]

I do have to give some credit for Apple successfully brainwashed enough customers to support their “sideloading = evil” narrative. It just gets to show again how insanely and terrifyingly powerful megacorps have become to our lives. “You are not you, and you must be happy.”

It’s more amazing the narrative people like yourself create. The alleged wall garden and the fact that you believe we think sideloading is evil when we don’t.

Apple has no bearing on my life. I just dread the day we start going the android route as we are beginning now.

 

[thejadedmonkey]

You act like like you get nothing for that $99 a year.

For 99% off developers, you don't.

No other company charges developers for the ability to write an app for their platform. No other company forces you to host an app on their servers. No other company forces you to sign your apps with their cert or blocks them from running. No, Apple is in a league of their own, and not in a good way.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

For 99% off developers, you don't.

No other company charges developers for the ability to write an app for their platform. No other company forces you to host an app on their servers. No other company forces you to sign your apps with their cert or blocks them from running. No, Apple is in a league of their own, and not in a good way.

SO LEAVE! Geeze. Victims all around.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

Government is POWER. Want to talk about a walled garden? How many people have the abitlity to leave where they live if they don't like the political climate? All of you who are crying about Apple can leave at any time, no matter who you are, no matter what devices you use. This is all so much clutching of pearls (look it up). It's crocodile tears victimhood. It''s manufacturing drama where zero exists. The world has real problems. Your inability to choose an OS other than IOS is not a real problem. It's a manufactured drama by drama queens who have decided they need government to make sure they don't have to take any responsibility for their own choices. You're not a victim because you bought an iPhone. The EU is not a knight in shining armor saving you from the dragon. You have unparalleled freedom and choice in how you choose to live your life, what companies and products you buy. The idea that you are oppressed by APPLE COMPUTER is a joke to anyone who understands what oppression really is.

Leave. It would be good for your soul.

 

[Philip_S]

How will Apple be able to force lazy developers to adopt new security features, system APIs and whatnot?

By deprecating and then removing the old APIs, putting the security measures into the relevant library functions, and so on. That doesn’t solve problems like weak keys unless they raise the minimum key size or reject them automatically when attempting to use them, but then nothing now stops them pre-sharing keys with the NSA.

 

[redheeler]

Good on the EU for standing up for consumers over companies/profits! 👏🏻 We (US) have completely succumbed to corporate control and profit over absolutely everything else.

I'm afraid it's going to be hard for this to work, as right now Apple can say "we left your app up in the EU store, but we took it down in every other region on the planet". Still a devastating message for a developer to receive...

 

[Appleman3546]

So if the Mac allows downloading apps through a browser, and the iPhone allows downloading apps through a browser in the EU… does that mean Apple can no longer hide behind the security excuse since downloading clearly will work on iPhone?

 

[Timo_Existencia]

So if the Mac allows downloading apps through a browser, and the iPhone allows downloading apps through a browser in the EU… does that mean Apple can no longer hide behind the security excuse since downloading clearly will work on iPhone?

Apple isn't hiding anything.

 

[h.gilbert]

No one was stopping you from buying an Android this entire time.

You chose to embrace the walled garden by buying Apple. Now all of us are going to be forced to endure multiple different app sources with varying and unknown security.

Ecosystem ≠ walled garden. I don't see how this will impact things like universal clipboard, iMessage, sidecar etc etc. I like apple despite the walled garden, not because of it.

 

[Philip_S]

That’s how elections work. EU countries chose to join the EU and nominate EU regulators to handle the common market. You dont like it vote to leave, the UK did, but otherwise yes, democracy spoke and you didnt win

While I agree with the particular regulation adopted here (at least in broad principles), the level of indirection and the number intermediaries that end up negotiating policy rather undermines any argument that a particular policy is actually wanted by a majority of voters even worse than is inherent to the fundamental nature of “representative democracy” (where either you choose one of two condiments on a **** sandwich and hope you even get them, or you pick exactly the sandwich you want and then end up with a random assortment that hopefully includes some of the things you asked for). On top of that, I don’t think polities much over a million or so can be really democratic because electoral districts need to be small enough that each voter can as easily get their message out to each other voter, and you need the parliament to be small enough that there’s plenty of time for private members’ bills etc.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

Apple is OPPRESSING ME!!!! I have to pay $99! I can't have my favorite phone call blocking app! I can't be a nerd and run the latest version silly software built by some hacker in his basement!

OPRESSION!!!!

Spend some time studying what real oppression is.

It's certain nothing that has been mentioned here, or in any of the efforts of the EU to try to gerrymander "competition" because it has failed to compete on merit.

 

[Philip_S]

Small developers simply don't have the money or resources to run their own appstore

Only if apple put unnecessarily onerous restrictions on 3rd party distribution, rather than allowing people to load IPAs via their computer (as you used to be able to do via iTunes, and still can do in Xcode), or even download them, set the executable bit (via a privileged action) and then execute it.

If they don’t do any unnecessary complexity, developers would only be paying for a bit of hosting and a payment processor.

 

[Timo_Existencia]

Only if apple put unnecessarily onerous restrictions on 3rd party distribution, rather than allowing people to load IPAs via their computer (as you used to be able to do via iTunes, and still can do in Xcode), or even download them, set the executable bit (via a privileged action) and then execute it.

If they don’t do any unnecessary complexity, developers would only be paying for a bit of hosting and a payment processor.

Apple generates more money for developers than any other platform. But sure, try to paint them as anti-deveolper. Always best to ignore reality when trying to do this.

 

[BigDO]

This will compromise iPhone security.

Some apps will not submit to the App Store in order to drive all sales to their outside store to increase profits.

Others apps will stay outside to avoid Apple review process. Bugs and deliberate surveillance will run rampant.

Fake apps will proliferate outside with no oversight.

Welcome to your diminished privacy and acct security world.

Big mistake EU. Big.

Nonsensical FUD. No one will be forced to use anything other than the App Store unless they choose to. Apps will still be sandboxed. iOS security measures will still be in place.

Choice is always good.

 

[BGPL]

This will compromise iPhone security.

Some apps will not submit to the App Store in order to drive all sales to their outside store to increase profits.

Others apps will stay outside to avoid Apple review process. Bugs and deliberate surveillance will run rampant.

Fake apps will proliferate outside with no oversight.

Welcome to your diminished privacy and acct security world.

Big mistake EU. Big.

Don't side load and the boogeyman won't get you.

 

[gaximus]

And doesn’t the US d

iOS apps run in sandboxes. That’s not going to change.

Only when installed from the Apple App Store, apps installed from Cydia and other jailbroken app stores do not have to run in a sandbox. So unless Apple Approves all side loaded app stores (not sure how that would be possible) then there will be apps that can be installed without being sandboxed.

 

[truthsteve]

Does Microsoft & Epic make their software or does Apple?

Through their lens, they might re-word your comment to something like "instead of Apple cutting a first-in-line 30% fee right off the top- before even us, the creators of our apps- to increase their own profits..."

I don't see a way to cast the creators of apps as the "greedy" ones. It is their creations... and "as is" Apple is taking first bite of the revenue pie... a BIG bite.

While I'm generally an Apple guy- own lots of Apple stuff- I favor the creators of apps getting first bite of the profit apple in sales of their own creations. Does Apple deserve something for running a good store? Sure, something. Should that be as high as 30% right off the top? I would argue NO- that seems quite excessive to me.

However, whether one agrees or not, if a Microsoft or Epic sees up to 30% cuts as sufficiently valuable to sales of their apps, then they keep selling their apps there. If they don't feel whatever they get for that cut as worth it, then yes, maybe they opt to sell their apps direct and keep up to all that, sizable cut for themselves... the creators of those apps.

If app buyers believe Apple deserves their cut, they can keep doing transactions through the Apple store... and refuse to buy apps that are not there. Those who feel differently can simply buy the very same app- sometimes excluded from the Apple store because Apple just decides to exclude apps for whatever reason- for the same, more or less cost to that consumer.

Robust competition serves the interests of consumers. No competition enriches the lone seller.

Does Anker make their chargers or does Amazon?

Go Android and start your own store if you don't like Apple's App Store.

 

[truthsteve]

What’s one example of an iOS app

"iOS app"

That's like asking "What's one example of a Playstation game..."

Sony controls and takes a cut of all Playstation games, even the ones in Best Buy/Amazon/Gamestop.


What you're really asking for is "one example of a phone app" and the answer is many apps available on both iOS and Android like Microsoft Office.