Re:Turning away from smartphones: 'We need to go places and ...
by ethbr1 on Friday June 14, 2024 @09:30AM
(#40680749)
I apportion blame a bit differently.
App makers (and mobile phone companies) are competitive marketplaces with alternatives. They're trying to find viable business models to fund feature development and make a profit. Can't fault them for that: users can pick another option.
Who I can fault is mobile OS/platform owners.
It's a duopoly, and they've repeatedly and strategically made user-hostile decisions that strip choice away from mobile device owners.
All of the ills you mentioned wouldn't be ills if OS features enabled user control of them.
Google is obviously the more egregious (user freedom features and need to boost quarterly profits are inversely related), but I don't think Apple would be taking a pro-privacy stance if it conflicted with their business model and they didn't see it as a strategic differentiator.
App makers (and mobile phone companies) are competitive marketplaces with alternatives. They're trying to find viable business models to fund feature development and make a profit. Can't fault them for that: users can pick another option.
Who I can fault is mobile OS/platform owners.
It's a duopoly, and they've repeatedly and strategically made user-hostile decisions that strip choice away from mobile device owners.
All of the ills you mentioned wouldn't be ills if OS features enabled user control of them.
Google is obviously the more egregious (user freedom features and need to boost quarterly profits are inversely related), but I don't think Apple would be taking a pro-privacy stance if it conflicted with their business model and they didn't see it as a strategic differentiator.