Re:Tim Cook’s Fortnite trial testimony was unexpectedly reve...
by josephcsible on Sunday May 23, 2021 @06:20PM
(#27259159)
50% of all customers is way too much for most developers to be able to give up. And your arguments that gaining freedom will require losing privacy still haven't been convincing.
Re:Tim Cook’s Fortnite trial testimony was unexpectedly reve...
by paulmd on Sunday May 23, 2021 @06:24PM
(#27259205)
Whether or not you are personally convinced is irrelevant, the facts are that Facebook literally already has tried to do this and gotten their hand slapped for it.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2019/01/facebook-and-google-...
The facts don't care about your feelings here - facebook and others have already attempted to exploit the limited mechanisms of sideloading available to violate user privacy, and they will do so again if given broader permissions.
You are directly arguing for the removal of the mechanism that was used to slap their hand.
Re:Tim Cook’s Fortnite trial testimony was unexpectedly reve...
by josephcsible on Sunday May 23, 2021 @06:27PM
(#27259219)
Did Facebook do the same thing with their Android app? If not, what's the difference between how Android is now and how I'm saying I want iOS to be?
Re:Tim Cook’s Fortnite trial testimony was unexpectedly reve...
by paulmd on Sunday May 23, 2021 @06:28PM
(#27259229)
It's not my job to construct your argument for you, if you think there's a viable point to make there then say what you mean for yourself.
As I've previously shown, Play Store is rife with apps requesting far too many permissions, I've no idea what Facebook specifically asks for.
Re:Tim Cook’s Fortnite trial testimony was unexpectedly reve...
by josephcsible on Sunday May 23, 2021 @06:30PM
(#27259241)
I'm saying that what Facebook did has nothing to do with whether the device manufacturer has an app distribution monopoly.
Re:Tim Cook’s Fortnite trial testimony was unexpectedly reve...
by paulmd on Sunday May 23, 2021 @06:32PM
(#27259251)
So you're saying that if we just allow them to request full permissions upfront then there's no need to go around the backdoor?
... not sure how that's supposed to be reassuring for user privacy concerns.
Again, on Android, you've got even things like flashlight apps asking for far too many permissions, let alone Facebook.
50/50 still means you have a major choice that implements the user-freedom model that you desire, while you're arguing to extinguish the user-privacy model.
> And if this were true, then why do so many apps still use the Play Store on Android? Why haven't they all switched exclusively to third-party stores?
Play Store doesn't have an app review process, and yes, permissioning is a major problem there, the "flashlight app that wants network access and your contacts list" was a very real thing (until Android finally implemented a flashlight app) and continues to be a thing for other types of applications.
https://www.extremetech.com/mobile/298363-why-do-android-fla...
That's the thing app store review prevents on iOS, and the changes you're suggesting fundamentally undermine that process. When facebook removes themselves from the app store and creates their own so they can demand full permissions, the choice will become "give the permissions or stop using facebook" and that's a degradation of the iOS user experience, all for a nebulous argument that the app store cut is too much.