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Apple’s New Developer Agreement Unlevels the iAd Playing Field

18 points by eplanit 17y ago

eplanit 17y ago
They're not just a computer and software maker -- they're a TV station.
dminor 17y ago
> The company told a developer whose app it was rejecting: "It is not appropriate for applications to gather user analytics. Specifically, you may not collect anonymous play data from a user’s game." OK, that's pretty crazy if true.
- DenisM 17y ago
  I doubt the authenticity of this quote. Or maybe it was taken out of context. For one, the agreement prohibits transmission of data to third parties, not to the developer himself. Another thing is that the new agreement is part of new SDK 4.0 and it is not yet in effect - Apple does not accept 4.0 apps for app store distribution, and so could not have reject an app on these grounds. EDIT: apparently, it's the device data that I talk about above. User data is governed under "need to know" rule: "All use of User Data collected or obtained through an Application must be limited to the same purpose as necessary to provide services or functionality for such Application.". Not as clear-cut as I thought... my second point still stands though.
shib71 17y ago
I'm a little confused by the use of the term "third-party" in this context. In these situations the first two parties are the User and either other Users (for multi-user or social apps) or the application server (for client-server type apps). Does that mean Apple itself (and iAd) is some kind of new zero-party?
- allwein 17y ago
  Since this is the iPhone Developer Agreement we're talking about, Apple is the first party. The developer agreeing to the agreement is the second party. Any outside analytics company being used by the developer would then be the third party.
emehrkay 17y ago
Jeezus apple. You guys are going to kill your partners (the developers)
edster 17y ago
Wouldn't sending metrics to my own server still be the second party. In fact, the device doesn't need to be involved at all. The server could record the hit to its API from a device and generated the metrics entirely server side. I assume one could do whatever they want with this data. Presumably, one could justify creating a url connection to a server on the internet for any reason, for example to let the server knows the users current local time.
tjmc 17y ago
The Robot Chicken guide to Apple's developer relations: http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=BwF7n8WyOoU&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=BwF7n8WyOoU&feature=rela...

18 points by eplanit 17y ago

They're not just a computer and software maker -- they're a TV station.

> The company told a developer whose app it was rejecting: "It is not appropriate for applications to gather user analytics. Specifically, you may not collect anonymous play data from a user’s game." OK, that's pretty crazy if true.

DenisM 17y ago
I doubt the authenticity of this quote. Or maybe it was taken out of context. For one, the agreement prohibits transmission of data to third parties, not to the developer himself. Another thing is that the new agreement is part of new SDK 4.0 and it is not yet in effect - Apple does not accept 4.0 apps for app store distribution, and so could not have reject an app on these grounds. EDIT: apparently, it's the device data that I talk about above. User data is governed under "need to know" rule: "All use of User Data collected or obtained through an Application must be limited to the same purpose as necessary to provide services or functionality for such Application.". Not as clear-cut as I thought... my second point still stands though.

shib71 17y ago

I'm a little confused by the use of the term "third-party" in this context. In these situations the first two parties are the User and either other Users (for multi-user or social apps) or the application server (for client-server type apps). Does that mean Apple itself (and iAd) is some kind of new zero-party?

allwein 17y ago
Since this is the iPhone Developer Agreement we're talking about, Apple is the first party. The developer agreeing to the agreement is the second party. Any outside analytics company being used by the developer would then be the third party.

emehrkay 17y ago

Jeezus apple. You guys are going to kill your partners (the developers)

edster 17y ago

Wouldn't sending metrics to my own server still be the second party. In fact, the device doesn't need to be involved at all. The server could record the hit to its API from a device and generated the metrics entirely server side. I assume one could do whatever they want with this data. Presumably, one could justify creating a url connection to a server on the internet for any reason, for example to let the server knows the users current local time.

tjmc 17y ago

The Robot Chicken guide to Apple's developer relations: http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=BwF7n8WyOoU&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=BwF7n8WyOoU&feature=rela...