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Re:More options for apps distributed in the European Union by vultour on Tuesday March 12, 2024 @12:06PM (#39681161)
The problem is that the less-tech-literate people don't recognize the dark patterns. I like iPhones because it means I don't have to worry about my parents' phones. I am not looking forward to the day when all their contacts and pictures are siphoned off because they downloaded the required "ebook reader" via the big download button on a random website.
Re:More options for apps distributed in the European Union by jamil7 on Tuesday March 12, 2024 @12:52PM (#39681792)
Can you explain how you believe the App Store prevents contacts and pictures being siphoned off currently?
Re:More options for apps distributed in the European Union by its_ethan on Tuesday March 12, 2024 @01:35PM (#39682379)
Apps in the App store have to use a prompt to get confirmation that they are able to view and access certain things, like your photo library.

Breaking down the walled garden of the App Store would be moving in the direction of a world where the prompts/ requests for access that prevent (or reduce the odds of) data being taken/stolen is higher. If you can download a non-compliant app from any random website you might visit, you can bet your ass the 65+ population is going to end up downloading a bunch of malicious apps.

Re:More options for apps distributed in the European Union by jamil7 on Tuesday March 12, 2024 @01:56PM (#39682640)
The prompt you're talking about is a part of the operating system's security and privacy model, this has nothing to do with the App Store or the DMA. The DMA is not requiring this to be changed.
Re:More options for apps distributed in the European Union by burnerthrow008 on Tuesday March 12, 2024 @03:30PM (#39683857)
Sure, and if a developer finds a way to bypass that security restriction, Apple no longer has the ability to ban that developer.

> The DMA is not requiring this to be changed.

Not according to the DMA maximalists on this thread, who believe that you should be able to install any software that does anything it wants.

Re:More options for apps distributed in the European Union by jamil7 on Tuesday March 12, 2024 @04:45PM (#39684713)
They can revoke that developers' certificates and patch whatever vulnerability allowed a developer to bypass that restriction.
Re:More options for apps distributed in the European Union by burnerthrow008 on Tuesday March 12, 2024 @05:59PM (#39685476)
> They can revoke that developers' certificates

Well, no, they can’t. That’s the whole point of the DMA.

> and patch whatever vulnerability allowed a developer to bypass that restriction.

Sure, close the door after the cow has left barn.

In the rest of the civilized world, developers will not do something so blatant in the first place because they know it will result in an account ban.

Re:More options for apps distributed in the European Union by jamil7 on Wednesday March 13, 2024 @03:15AM (#39688800)
> Well, no, they can’t. That’s the whole point of the DMA.

Yes, they can. And no that’s not the whole point of the DMA. You still need to have a valid Apple developer account and certificates managed through Apple.

Re:More options for apps distributed in the European Union by ambichook on Tuesday March 12, 2024 @07:46PM (#39686304)
i mean... the app is still going to have to ask the OS for permission to use those features, which will then pass the question on to the user like it always has won't it?
Re:More options for apps distributed in the European Union by Aloisius on Tuesday March 12, 2024 @08:19PM (#39686516)
Eh. A rather large amount of Android malware convinces people to approve access to photos/contacts/files/etc. by pretending to have functionality they don't.

Apple rejects apps that ask for permission they don't need and apps that pretend to be what they aren't from the App Store.

There's a reason why malware is far more prevalent on Android than iPhone.

Re:More options for apps distributed in the European Union by jamil7 on Wednesday March 13, 2024 @03:16AM (#39688809)
There’s far less malware on the mac than Android though, which works the same way.
Re:More options for apps distributed in the European Union by Aloisius on Wednesday March 13, 2024 @12:58PM (#39694093)
Android has 30x more users than than mac. It's a significantly more attractive target for criminals.

That said, malware is far more common on macs than it is iPhones, despite having a fraction of the users - and nearly all of it comes from people downloading apps from websites.

Re:More options for apps distributed in the European Union by user_7832 on Tuesday March 12, 2024 @02:00PM (#39682693)
While I understand and agree with your point, it's worth noting that things like SMS/OTP scams have already been around for years. Of course that doesn't justify making security weaker, but this isn't iOS going from super-strong to ultra-weak. It's realistically iOS going from a medium-weak to slightly-weaker.