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The app has a feature that allows you to see where you are spending your time on your phone. This could be helpful to get an idea about time wasted at work vs.

The app has a feature that allows you to see where you are spending your time on your phone. This could be helpful to get an idea about time wasted at work vs. commuting by train or whatever. I'm not going to say it's super useful, but it has a use.. I would categorize this in the same bucket as Snapchat needing your GPS. Anyway, the complaint is that they are using this data for more than features and functionality. Their side of the story leads me to believe this is not the case, and only Apple knows why they think this company is abusing the data they are collecting.

tptacek 8y ago
You can almost always make that claim about any sneaky use of a platform feature. The test that will be used to determine compliance is whether the intended, expected use of the feature complies, not with whether there are any compliant uses.
- privateSFacct 8y ago
  Exactly this. App developers are constantly saying, I need all your location data for one tiny sliver of a reason or another. If you are a map app, location data is fine. If you are tracking screen time, then no. Apple's is targeting folks like my parents here. They love that apple just works, no crazy secret battery drains etc. Even the subtle prompts apple gives (the little arrow outline etc) is NOT ENOUGH for folks like my parents. It needs to follow logically from what they are doing (no buried menus / advanced features). Apple largely delivers on this. Check out an older person using an android phone with a total ton of apps (and android 3-5 years old, older folks upgrade MUCH more slowly). It's a honking mess. Seriously the battery life goes into the trash, the phone has got a billion things running on it. Apple is making BIG money focusing pretty strictly on privacy. The idea that they are doing this to avoid competitors to screen time (which they make no extra money on) is ludicrous.
xvector 8y ago
> Anyway, the complaint is that they are using this data for more than features and functionality. Incorrect. The complaint is that they are not using Location for its intended purpose, thereby impacting the performance (battery life) of the device. Quoted in the article: > Performance – 2.5.4 > Your app is misusing background location for purposes other than location-related features and functionality. The key word here is location-related features and functionality. Not "features and functionality" in general, as your comment implies. I don't think it could be any more clear-cut. "Screen time" is just about the least "location-related feature/functionality" that one could think of. It's pretty clear that they are violating the terms of service, regardless of the benefit that this feature may or may not provide.
r_singh 8y ago
Exactly, I've always wanted to have an app like that and have been following rescue time since a lot of years now and have aware about it being one of the pioneers in this space. It's quite sad that apple conveniently are heavy handing them now that they have built in screen time. Users can't really complain cause this functionality is not kind of baked into the phone anyways. It's impressive and hurtful at the same time, Apple has unprecedented amount of leverage over app developers and app developers should be careful not to cross Apple's path if they don't want their time to go waste.
- laohu 8y ago
  Exactly this. It seems some here maybe confused that location in the app is being used surreptitiously, or ScreenTime measured surreptitiously. In fact, it is explicitly requested, explained to the users who sign up, and reflected clearly in the app with all the necessary warnings about possible battery issues on generations of devices affected (6 and prior) and used to report on location. And screen time. Our users are installing the app for both features, knowing both are there, in the same vein as a number of other digital tools Apple has allowed in the store, that use the same approach.

tptacek 8y ago

You can almost always make that claim about any sneaky use of a platform feature. The test that will be used to determine compliance is whether the intended, expected use of the feature complies, not with whether there are any compliant uses.

privateSFacct 8y ago
Exactly this. App developers are constantly saying, I need all your location data for one tiny sliver of a reason or another. If you are a map app, location data is fine. If you are tracking screen time, then no. Apple's is targeting folks like my parents here. They love that apple just works, no crazy secret battery drains etc. Even the subtle prompts apple gives (the little arrow outline etc) is NOT ENOUGH for folks like my parents. It needs to follow logically from what they are doing (no buried menus / advanced features). Apple largely delivers on this. Check out an older person using an android phone with a total ton of apps (and android 3-5 years old, older folks upgrade MUCH more slowly). It's a honking mess. Seriously the battery life goes into the trash, the phone has got a billion things running on it. Apple is making BIG money focusing pretty strictly on privacy. The idea that they are doing this to avoid competitors to screen time (which they make no extra money on) is ludicrous.

xvector 8y ago

> Anyway, the complaint is that they are using this data for more than features and functionality. Incorrect. The complaint is that they are not using Location for its intended purpose, thereby impacting the performance (battery life) of the device. Quoted in the article: > Performance – 2.5.4 > Your app is misusing background location for purposes other than location-related features and functionality. The key word here is location-related features and functionality. Not "features and functionality" in general, as your comment implies. I don't think it could be any more clear-cut. "Screen time" is just about the least "location-related feature/functionality" that one could think of. It's pretty clear that they are violating the terms of service, regardless of the benefit that this feature may or may not provide.

r_singh 8y ago

Exactly, I've always wanted to have an app like that and have been following rescue time since a lot of years now and have aware about it being one of the pioneers in this space. It's quite sad that apple conveniently are heavy handing them now that they have built in screen time. Users can't really complain cause this functionality is not kind of baked into the phone anyways. It's impressive and hurtful at the same time, Apple has unprecedented amount of leverage over app developers and app developers should be careful not to cross Apple's path if they don't want their time to go waste.

laohu 8y ago
Exactly this. It seems some here maybe confused that location in the app is being used surreptitiously, or ScreenTime measured surreptitiously. In fact, it is explicitly requested, explained to the users who sign up, and reflected clearly in the app with all the necessary warnings about possible battery issues on generations of devices affected (6 and prior) and used to report on location. And screen time. Our users are installing the app for both features, knowing both are there, in the same vein as a number of other digital tools Apple has allowed in the store, that use the same approach.