this post was submitted on 15 Jan 2024
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465
App Store to Be 'Split in Two' Ahead of EU iPhone Sideloading Deadline (www.macrumors.com)
submitted 7 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 168 points 7 months ago (14 children)

Reading the comments from that article is a prime example of how a cult functions.

In reality this will have a 0,002% impact. Most phone users are tech-illiterate and have no idea how to use their devices. You expect these people to go to a different store? On Android you can have other app stores, why don't you have? Because Play Store is default and all app developers want to be where most users are, not on a 3-4% user share store.

It will most likely be background noise in the first months and everyone will go back to the App Store. The only people that will use an alternate store will most likely be the same ones that use F-droid, so 0,002% of the users.

But hey, it's better to scream how this whole thing is making their devices less secure, because Apple told them so.

[–] [email protected] 55 points 7 months ago (2 children)

It's always about the minority. Just because something fits 99% should not mean this is the only thing in existence, when other ways do not disturb. And one not fulfilled minority there, one not fulfilled there and soon we realise that almost everyone fit in some unfulfilled minority that is not dealed with.

[–] [email protected] 58 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Let's not act like Apple isn't spending millions of dollars in guerrilla marketing campaigns to discredit attempts to open up the ecosystem...

At this point I assume anyone complaining about sideloading, alt browser engines, etc is a paid shill, because the arguments against are completely ridiculous and fallacious corporate speak.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 7 months ago

I've met plenty of apple sycophants in real life. Such a weird thing to base your identity on.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago

Seems that people who understand how shit works are the minority. Why does the majority insist on being ignorant?

[–] [email protected] 48 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

On Android you can have other app stores, why don't you have?

I do I have a Samsung store. Beyond that, the ability to sideload apps is a huge reason I use Android and IOS sucks. I also have apps I've loaded off of web sites and my own LAN.

[–] [email protected] 37 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (4 children)

Some apps can't be posted on store fronts for one or more reasons.

Side loading definitely has its place and is a welcome change to iOS.

[–] [email protected] 33 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Why is pornhub obvious? Americans are so prude, it hurts my brain. God forbid there are nipples somewhere! But murder is fine.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 7 months ago

Google Play policy forbids PornHub from being allowed. But yet we have web browsers... Idgi

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago

School Shootings on the news during the day, where every kid can see it. No wonder there are that many gun nuts, they have to be terrified.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 7 months ago

Don't forget the apps that get banned because they dare to undermine the store owner's profit by presenting free alternatives to their awful paid versions.

Like NewPipe and the Youtube app that can't even play video's with the screen off.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 7 months ago (5 children)

iOS is also filled with apps that have ads and subscriptions. Having something like F-droid for Foss apps without the nonsense is nice if you need something like a simple pdf reader or even a calculator. IPad has no calculator for example and there's so much crap you have to shift through to find a simple calculator that doesn't have ads or subscriptions.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Understandably - as a developer you need to pay money to keep your apps listed on the Apple store - even if they're free apps. So just to recoup those losses you almost have to put in ads or subscriptions.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Isn't it like $100 per app publisher per year?

I mean, that's not nothing but seems like it wouldn't take much - certainly not many subscriptions - to pay it off.

A very small GoFundMe or coffee tip jar or just spread out the costs between a few interested people and you're done.

Most of the ad-infested apps - and at this point, that's virtually anything listed for free - are just cash grabs, not anything to do with recouping listing costs.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago

Whelp - I feel like you're overestimating how much money people donate.
I've got a website service that I offer for free with a Kofi tip jar - I got less than 20€ over the past 3 years that is was online. Which doesn't even cover domain costs.

Sure it's very much not in your face and it isn't meant to be, plus being only one anecdotal point of reference, but that's just my experience with that.

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (3 children)

Tech illiterate Windows users seem to have no problems removing replacing Edge/Bing with Chrome/Google (which, if you've ever tried recently, is quite a painful process - though I suspect it's a lot less painful in the EU where the dark patterns would land them in hot water).

I think the App Store will only be able to maintain it's dominance in Europe if it's a better experience, for both users and developers, than any of the alternatives.

The improvements Apple will make to the store to protect their dominant position will be significant.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Are users actually replacing with Chrome on desktop? As often as you're implying?

I've assumed the vast majority of the significant Edge market share has been due to cases where it's shipped as the default (or Windows pestering users to make it the default). And the majority of Chrome market share the last 5+ years coming from Google deals with OEMs making Chrome the default. Not due to the majority of people seeking out the browser theyve determined is best (or are familiar with). And due to corporate mandates, for business PCs. I don't have data to back this up, though.

Obviously, people do intentionally switch to either browser for various reasons, but I'd be amazed if it was more than like 10% of the cases at this point.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 7 months ago (1 children)

This will have impact, on Apple's revenue, which is really what they only care about.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (2 children)

What number do you think? I bet there is no decrease in Apples App store revenue

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago (1 children)

If it has such a small effect, why is Apple so hell-bent on stopping it?

[–] [email protected] 14 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Because purchases not made in the App Store are purchases Apple isn't making revenue from.

Mac already can side load and Windows can side load these days as well. Hell my fucking Chromebook that is going on, 7 years old can side load Linux software and Android applications and not any single damn one of my machines have I had a security concern with an app.

Most people don't even know what side loading is. Apple was hellbent on stopping it because it stops revenue.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 7 months ago

Windows can sideload? You’re making it sound like Windows has somehow allowed this lately; reality is “side loading” was just called “installing” since time immemorial.

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[–] [email protected] 109 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (10 children)

This would actually be a big step for many Android users wanting to try out another OS.

I know for myself that sideloading apps is a must for me on my phone, and if an iPhone could do that, it's at least one step closer for consideration.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 7 months ago

Still having to buy completely another device to switch operating systems... Not because the system was not adapted yet, but because of software locks and purposful roadblocks.

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[–] [email protected] 61 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Splitting store in two won't get them around the regulation though if both stores have same parent company. Perhaps it will delay EU from punishing them, but they won't get around the issue. EU is not forcing multiple stores without reason. Competition if always good for end users and results in overall better quality of product. Apple doesn't want that because they want to be able to charge whatever they want and you can take it or leave it. Also it has absolutely nothing to do with security or privacy or whatever the excuse people are coming up with. It's just money, the only thing Apple still cares about.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 7 months ago

That's not what the article said they meant.

An EU split that can comply, and a rest of the world split that continues to monopolize the iPhone.

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[–] [email protected] 56 points 7 months ago (6 children)

I would rather have a “all users must have root access to their devices” or all software must be user replaceable integrated into the law. We let Apple do their own thing, but adventurous users could try installing android and such on the iPhone (similar to how the asahi project is making Linux on M series macs a reality)

[–] [email protected] 18 points 7 months ago (1 children)

As shown with Android, even if you have root it's not enough, as it won't let you indefinetly support the device when the firmware and drivers are still secret. Freedom of choice for whatever OS you like (meaning that any OS can make a port) would be safer and more liberating, I thing.

Also, to hell with Android, I want to install Linux on this thing and finally be able to backup all apps, configurations and files via simple "rsync" command or when the screen/touch/battery die install TV-centric OS to at least repurpose this expensive device as new smart TV box :).

[–] [email protected] 8 points 7 months ago

Which is why I’m saying all software must be replaceable. If Apple can update firmware, so should the users be able to

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[–] [email protected] 34 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Damn it. The UK is not in the EU. 😂

[–] [email protected] 25 points 7 months ago

The never ending cascade of problems Brexit still drags us slowly through.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Doesn’t the App Store already have separate markets?

[–] [email protected] 27 points 7 months ago (5 children)

Yes, but for Apple's own profit, not the customers. It's the good old 'divide et impera' strategy

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Divide_and_rule

[–] [email protected] 9 points 7 months ago

Here's the summary for the wikipedia article you mentioned in your comment:

` Divide and rule policy (Latin: divide et impera), or divide and conquer, in politics and sociology is gaining and maintaining power divisively. Historically and presently, this strategy was and is used in many different ways by empires seeking to expand their territories; however, it has been hard to distinguish between the exploitation of pre-existing divisions by opponents, and the deliberate creation or strengthening of these divisions implied by "divide and rule". The strategy, but not the phrase, applies in many ancient cases: the example of Aulus Gabinius exists, parting the Jewish nation into five conventions, reported by Flavius Josephus in Book I, 169–170 of The Jewish War (De bello Judaico). Strabo also reports in Geographica, 8.7.3 that the Achaean League was gradually dissolved when it became part of the Roman province of Macedonia, as the Romans treated the various states differently, wishing to preserve some and to destroy others.Elements of this technique involve:

creating or encouraging divisions among the subjects to prevent alliances that could challenge the sovereign and distributing forces so that they overpower each other. aiding and promoting those who are willing to cooperate with the sovereign fostering distrust and enmity between local rulers encouraging meaningless expenditures that reduce the capability for political and military spending `

^to^ ^opt^ ^out^^,^ ^pm^ ^me^ ^'optout'.^ ^article^ ^|^ ^about^

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Moves like this always assume that location equals citizenship. As an EU citizen living in North America, a move like this means that I would not get the remedy that Apple legally owes me (or would owe me if I owned an iOS device)

The main thing I've been sideloading on Android for a decade is a fan implementation of the Dominion card game called Androminion. It was trademark cease and desist removed from the Play Store a decade ago, but you can still get the apk on Github

There's a couple other things. One big gap in both the Google and Apple stores is the complete absence of adult content. I'm amazed there's not more of a clamour for adult apps among either userbase, given that most people don't own a normal computer. Sideloading could plug that gap

[–] [email protected] 6 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Just change country/region. No location required. If you do it through iOS you might need a payment method, which you don’t need if you’re changing it on the web.

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