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A pragmatic view: 70% of the mobile devices in Saudi Arabia run Android. Outcome 1- Apple bans Absher but Google does not. Absher usage continues. Android gai

by m0dest 8y ago

A pragmatic view: 70% of the mobile devices in Saudi Arabia run Android. Outcome 1- Apple bans Absher but Google does not. Absher usage continues. Android gains market share over time. Outcome 2- Apple and Google both ban Absher. Android users install it via sideload from the government website. Carriers preload the sideloaded Absher app onto new phones. Absher usage continues. Android market share grows over time. I don't see a victory here other than taking a moral stance.

m-p-3 8y ago
Outcome 3- Google ban Absher and automatically remove it from device using Google Play Protect on the basis that it's a spyware.
- walrus01 8y ago
  Outcome 4 - Saudi mobile phone carriers partner with Chinese device manufacturer to deploy custom built versions of Android with 'play protect' ripped out, and Absher app as a non-removable default install. Basically think of what you could do if OnePlus went fully evil and built an 'evil' version of OxygenOS, their custom android variant.
  - halfjoking 8y ago
    Outcome 5 - After the custom evil Android is a success, Saudi men decide that the default government app isn't enough. They decide to have all their wives chipped/tagged when they take them in for their vaccinations. A Saudi startup that basically is the 'Google Nest of oppression' becomes a unicorn company by plugging into the GPS from the chip which enables new forms of tracking. They'll get live video feeds, sentiment analysis and child rearing effectiveness scores all rolled into one app. Multiple wives? No problem - you can compare and contrast all of them in the app. So glad everyone got Google to remove the original app, instead of thinking of ways to combat the root cause of the problem. At least there's another unicorn startup because of it. /s
int_19h 8y ago
Let me rephrase that. Saudis will still make it work, so why care? By the same logic, it's okay help someone kill a man, if you know they'll succeed in doing that anyway, with or without your help. But that's not how it works.
buboard 8y ago
taking a moral stance is the only thing they can do, OTOH. KSA will find other ways to track them.

by m0dest 8y ago

m-p-3 8y ago

Outcome 3- Google ban Absher and automatically remove it from device using Google Play Protect on the basis that it's a spyware.

walrus01 8y ago
Outcome 4 - Saudi mobile phone carriers partner with Chinese device manufacturer to deploy custom built versions of Android with 'play protect' ripped out, and Absher app as a non-removable default install. Basically think of what you could do if OnePlus went fully evil and built an 'evil' version of OxygenOS, their custom android variant.
- halfjoking 8y ago
  Outcome 5 - After the custom evil Android is a success, Saudi men decide that the default government app isn't enough. They decide to have all their wives chipped/tagged when they take them in for their vaccinations. A Saudi startup that basically is the 'Google Nest of oppression' becomes a unicorn company by plugging into the GPS from the chip which enables new forms of tracking. They'll get live video feeds, sentiment analysis and child rearing effectiveness scores all rolled into one app. Multiple wives? No problem - you can compare and contrast all of them in the app. So glad everyone got Google to remove the original app, instead of thinking of ways to combat the root cause of the problem. At least there's another unicorn startup because of it. /s

int_19h 8y ago

Let me rephrase that. Saudis will still make it work, so why care? By the same logic, it's okay help someone kill a man, if you know they'll succeed in doing that anyway, with or without your help. But that's not how it works.

buboard 8y ago

taking a moral stance is the only thing they can do, OTOH. KSA will find other ways to track them.