Ask HN: Is there a reason a coffee app would block other apps

Posted by Greyfoscam on Monday November 28, 2022 @10:02PM
from the ask-hn dept.

In the pacific northwest there is a popular app for paying for coffee called Dutch Bros. After a required update to continue using, the app now states it detected teamviewer and requires me to uninstall TeamViewer on my phone to continue to use their app or redeem any points towards free coffee accrued. When I contacted them I discovered it was not limited to Teamviewer, all remote access apps are triggering this lockout. Their customer service explained this is limited to android phones, so if I switch to apple,I can use their app. I am not switching phones just to get a coffee. Does anyone have any thoughts as to why a coffee app would need to detect and not allow remote access apps on Android devices only ?

( 2 comments | 2 points | on HN )

Re:Ask HN: Is there a reason a coffee app would block other ... by anigbrowl on Monday November 28, 2022 @10:39PM (#33783423)

Contact their legal department and ask them to explain their privacy-breachiong activity. Oregon has a technology aware US senator in Ron Wyden whose office would likely give you a sympathetic listen.

There's more info in this Reddit thread (possibly contributed by you, of course): https://www.reddit.com/r/dutchbros/comments/z33rea/anyone_su...

Of course, if they're so hostile to TeamViewer that suggests a yawning security hole that it might be interesting to investigate.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Ask HN: Is there a reason a coffee app would block other ... by Greyfoscam on Tuesday November 29, 2022 @02:29AM (#33784648)

Thanks, I saw the reddit thread and looked through twitter and have found it interesting since at least 6 remote apps are triggering the warning that you need to uninstall them if you want to use their app. I could see one as an error, but 6 seems scattershot.

[ Parent | on HN ]