Re:iOS 17 will reportedly set the stage for sideloading apps...
by WorldMaker on Monday April 17, 2023 @01:21PM
(#35603718)
> The setting that Facebook hates and evidently bet the whole company on - "Ask App Not To Track" - probably wouldn't go away for sideloaded apps.
Apple phrased that as peculiarly as they did for several reasons. "Ask App Not To Track" is not "Force App Not To Track", it relies a lot on self-disclosure from apps and some discovery from App Store testing cycles and apps already currently lie about it and things are missed in App Store certification.
There's less reason for self-disclosure by sideloaded apps and no certification process to spot-check such self-disclosures even if a sideloaded app provided them.
"Ask App Not To Track" does feel like a vulnerable tool if sideloading is allowed and certain major apps create pressure to encourage average users to sideload some common apps.
Whether or not you are looking forward to capabilities that sideloading would grant, it is fair to lament the possible loss of how good "Ask App Not To Track" has been so far and assume it will get worse in a sideloading world.
Apple phrased that as peculiarly as they did for several reasons. "Ask App Not To Track" is not "Force App Not To Track", it relies a lot on self-disclosure from apps and some discovery from App Store testing cycles and apps already currently lie about it and things are missed in App Store certification.
There's less reason for self-disclosure by sideloaded apps and no certification process to spot-check such self-disclosures even if a sideloaded app provided them.
"Ask App Not To Track" does feel like a vulnerable tool if sideloading is allowed and certain major apps create pressure to encourage average users to sideload some common apps.
Whether or not you are looking forward to capabilities that sideloading would grant, it is fair to lament the possible loss of how good "Ask App Not To Track" has been so far and assume it will get worse in a sideloading world.