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Apple remotely deletes Videos app

T

tywebb13

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 21, 2012
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People annoyed by the new tv app which replaces the videos app have gone back to the app store to redownload the Videos app.

Apple have now not only removed the Videos app from the app store making that impossible, but also are now remotely deleting the app from ios devices connected to the internet for those who relownloaded it. They are doing so without permission.

I find it very worrisome that apple can remotely delete stuff from my device without warning and without permission.

EDIT: Actually apple have put the videos app back on their app store now but now it has a new message preventing you from reinstalling it if you already have the TV app: "This app requires specific features not available on this device".
 
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While I don’t agree with their actions here, I do think it’s a good option for Apple to have. As an obvious example, suppose kiddy porn somehow slipped through their review process. In that case, them remote deleting that app would be appropriate. Still, doing so with the Video app seems wrong to me.
 
The device is MINE not apple's!

They are pretending that they still own it even after I purchased it.

Maybe one day I'll go to the apple park with lots of trucks and empty it. Pretending it's mine.

No? Can't do that? Is that illegal? Would I end up in jail if I try?

Then why aren't apple in jail when they remotely delete stuff from my device THAT I OWN AND APPLE DON'T?
 
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tywebb13 said:
The device is MINE not apple's!

They are pretending that they still own it even after I purchased it.

Maybe one day I'll go to the apple park with lots of trucks and empty it. Pretending it's mine.

No? Can't do that? Is that illegal? Would I end up in jail if I try?

Then why aren't apple in jail when they remotely delete stuff from my device THAT I OWN AND APPLE DON'T?
Click to expand...
You own the device but not the software. I don't have time to read through all the License Agreements we have signed but it will be stated there somewhere. Always funny how many rights people thing they have with products etc. while they don't.
You know that everything you post on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter becomes the rightful ownership of the respective company?
 
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So can apple delete a document remotely too?

Can they claim apple own the document because it was created on an apple device - and hence have a right to delete it?

I doubt that will stand up in court, regardless of licence agreements. Licence agreements cannot override the law of the land. Most such laws say you own the document, not apple.
 
tywebb13 said:
People annoyed by the new tv app which replaces the videos app have gone back to the app store to redownload the Videos app.

Apple have now not only removed the Videos app from the app store making that impossible, but also are now remotely deleting the app from ios devices connected to the internet for those who relownloaded it. They are doing so without permission.

I find it very worrisome that apple can remotely delete stuff from my device without warning and without permission.
Click to expand...

Do you mean you updated to iOS 11, and then your Videos app had turned into TV during the update?
 
tywebb13 said:
So can apple delete a document remotely too?

Can they claim apple own the document because it was created on an apple device - and hence have a right to delete it?

I doubt that will stand up in court, regardless of licence agreements. Licence agreements cannot override the law of the land. Most such laws say you own the document, not apple.
Click to expand...
That's actually what they do: you sign and accept them and so you give up your rights regarding what is stated in these. I don't know Apple's licence agreements nor any specific behaviour for a specific Apple app. But for example I am pretty sure that Apple doesn't guarantee that your iCloud documents are safe - if all of Apple's servers are destroyed all your documents are lost and you don't have any basis to sue Apple.
 
tywebb13 said:
The device is MINE not apple's!

They are pretending that they still own it even after I purchased it.

Maybe one day I'll go to the apple park with lots of trucks and empty it. Pretending it's mine.

No? Can't do that? Is that illegal? Would I end up in jail if I try?

Then why aren't apple in jail when they remotely delete stuff from my device THAT I OWN AND APPLE DON'T?
Click to expand...

The thing is you don’t own the software you own a licence to that software and this will be within the Ts and Cs is it ****? Yes but it’s what you agreed to.

I don’t believe they would own a document but the software that created the document they would.
 
M. Gustave said:
Do you mean you updated to iOS 11, and then your Videos app had turned into TV during the update?
Click to expand...

Yeah. But then you could get the Videos app back. It was still available on the app store at the time and you could briefly reinstall it if you wished.

They have now removed the Videos app from the app store. But the app also was removed a second time from the device. It was the second time it got removed that was more worrisome because it occurred without any ios update.
 
simonsi said:
I still have the videos App, it wasnt removed during the update, nor has it been removed afterwards. Is it region-specific?
Click to expand...

Yeah. I think it is. The TV app is getting rolled out at different times in different countries. But when it does come it will replace the Videos app.

That wasn't the problem. The problem was that I was able to get the Videos app back - and then apple removed it a second time from my device - without my permission. How rude!
 
tywebb13 said:
Yeah. But then you could get the Videos app back. It was still available on the app store at the time and you could briefly reinstall it if you wished.

They have now removed the Videos app from the app store. But the app also was removed a second time from the device. It was the second time it got removed that was more worrisome because it occurred without any ios update.
Click to expand...

Apple removing or changing stock iOS apps during updates is not anywhere near what you were suggesting - that they remotely login to your device and delete apps. That’s simply not true, and you’ve presented no evidence that it ever happened.
 
tywebb13 said:
Yeah. I think it is. The TV app is getting rolled out at different times in different countries. But when it does come it will replace the Videos app.

That wasn't the problem. The problem was that I was able to get the Videos app back - and then apple removed it a second time from my device - without my permission. How rude!
Click to expand...

Have you checked the TandCs to make sure you didn’t give permission?
 
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M. Gustave said:
Apple removing or changing stock iOS apps during updates is not anywhere near what you were suggesting - that they remotely login to your device and delete apps. That’s simply not true, and you’ve presented no evidence that it ever happened.
Click to expand...

Well when I updated to ios 11 the Videos app was replaced with the TV app.

At the time the Videos app was still available on the app store too so I just reinstalled it. That was several days ago.

But today apple have removed the Videos app from the app store - but also a second time from my device - which I did not give them permission to do.

I knew it would get replaced when I updated to ios 11. But I didn't expect the Videos app to disappear from my device a second time after getting it back.
 
tywebb13 said:
Well when I updated to ios 11 the Videos app was replaced with the TV app.

At the time the Videos app was still available on the app store too so I just reinstalled it. That was several days ago.

But today apple have removed the Videos app from the app store - but also a second time from my device - which I did not give them permission to do.

I knew it would get replaced when I updated to ios 11. But I didn't expect the Videos app to disappear from my device a second time after getting it back.
Click to expand...

I don’t think what you think is happening, is actually happening. After all, “Videos” and “TV” are just different versions of the same app.
 
M. Gustave said:
I don’t think what you think is happening, is actually happening. After all, “Videos” and “TV” are just different versions of the same app.
Click to expand...

Then how is it that I was able to reinstall the videos app? For a few days I had both the TV app and the Videos app on the same device.
 
tywebb13 said:
That wasn't the problem. The problem was that I was able to get the Videos app back - and then apple removed it a second time from my device - without my permission. How rude!
Click to expand...

Most likely the new TV app checking if the older one is still present to maybe avoid conflicts or something like that... TV app is the new version of Videos. Why would you want both?

Ever since Apple started to get really big people see it as Big Brother lol. They're not spying on you :rolleyes:
 
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Morpheo said:
Most likely the new TV app checking if the older one is still present to maybe avoid conflicts or something like that... TV app is the new version of Videos. Why would you want both?

Ever since Apple started to get really big people see it as Big Brother lol. They're not spying on you :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Yeah. Maybe it was actually the TV app which deleted the Videos app.

You can actually delete the TV app if you want. Maybe I'll do that and try to get the Videos app back somehow and see if it gets deleted again. If it doesn't then that would prove that the TV app was the culprit. If it does then something else must be going on behind the scenes. Some hidden ios dark magic that only apple know about.
 
tywebb13 said:
So can apple delete a document remotely too?

Can they claim apple own the document because it was created on an apple device - and hence have a right to delete it?

I doubt that will stand up in court, regardless of licence agreements. Licence agreements cannot override the law of the land. Most such laws say you own the document, not apple.
Click to expand...

First, Apple 100% can remove the Videos app, their own app, from the app store. That is their right to do so. It is is deleting nothing from your device. When you go to redownload it is replacing the new app with the old as the old does not exist in your region anymore. If you took no action Videos would stay on your device, meaning no one is deleting anything remotely.

The law of what land exactly? I don't think you have a clue what you're talking about to be making any legal conclusions here.

You have a mere license to use iOS, and own the hardware that you purchased. You do not own the software on your device to do what you want with. You further cannot go to Office Depot and buy a CD of iOS to install on any device you want; which you own a version of say Windows, but still subject to the licensing agreement in the box.

So yes, your private contract/agreement with Apple controls, which is basically they can do whatever they want to iOS on their end and prevent you from downloading things at will. It is also Apple's app, not a third party.

You dont have a leg to stand on here.
 
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