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After reading miki123211's comment and doing some further research, I am peeved at the article's blatant bias to portray Apple negatively. The developers knew t

After reading miki123211's comment and doing some further research, I am peeved at the article's blatant bias to portray Apple negatively. The developers knew that they were circumventing the rules, as shown Apple's response, but pretend to be the victims and complain that they can't understand Apple's feedback. I suppose this also goes back to the bigger picture in society. We have been trained to root for the underdogs, while the faceless corporation is always to blame. Apple has been consistent in its effort to make iOS secure, but public opinion keeps changing depending on whether it causes them an inconvenience. When Apple refuses to comply with the FBI, Apple good. When Apple removes apps that violate privacy and weakens security, Apple bad.

talkingtab 7y ago
I agree that we need a full and complete understanding rather than a simplistic one. miki123211's response adds to that, but a fuller picture is that - companies were using IOS to serve a legitimate need that Apple did not. - As noted this was done by subverting an API - Apple tolerated this (did they not know or not care or ?) - Apple released a competitive product with a new API - Apple begins removing products using the old methods The question is whether Apple is allowing existing products to migrate to the new API or are they locked out? If existing products cannot use the same API then my sense is that Apple is indeed being anti-competitive.
- saagarjha 7y ago
  Apple’s competitive product (namely, Screen Time) has no API. It’s a system level feature that no third-party app has access to.
  - mkozlows 7y ago
    Which is not a fact of nature, but a decision that Apple made.
    - seandougall 7y ago
      Is it impossible to believe that was a legitimate security decision? How would you implement such an API and prevent developers from abusing it for spyware purposes? Personally, even though I opt into sharing app-specific usage data with developers, I don’t particularly want my global device-level usage statistics available to any random app that also has network entitlements.
- joshstrange 7y ago
  “Competitive product”? I’m sorry but they released a real solution and then started to remove the anti-privacy hacks. Also people don’t seem to understand so I’ll spell it out: APPLE IS LOSING MONEY FROM THIS DECISION. Screen time makes them no money (yes you can argue maybe they make more money from devices because of its existance but that’s a stretch). I’m betting they put up with these apps because they realized there was no good alternative. Now they they have a real solution there is no reason to allow there privacy nightmares to continue to exist (in their current form at least).
johnmarcus 7y ago
I also read mik123211's shill comment from Apple, I suspect this is one here too. Apple's feedback blows, and you clearly have never submitted an app to the store in order to know that. Apples allowed these apps for 10+ years - enough to build business off of that feed multiple families - and then changed the rules with 30 days notice. Conveniently, just coincidentally, this 10 year period came to an end as they developed a competing feature. Try to develop a few apps and then you can talk about what "app developers" know about itunes terms and conditions. if you think Apple doesn't apply their rules as it suites them, you are gravely mistaken.
- joshstrange 7y ago
  This is the deal you sign when you develop on someone else’s platform. It’s the same for Android, Facebook, etc. If you don’t like then go develop for Android exclusively. Please do not prevend that these app developers didn’t 100% know they operated in a VERY gray area.
- sctb 7y ago
  > Please don't impute astroturfing or shillage. That degrades discussion and is usually mistaken. If you're worried about it, email us and we'll look at the data. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

talkingtab 7y ago

I agree that we need a full and complete understanding rather than a simplistic one. miki123211's response adds to that, but a fuller picture is that - companies were using IOS to serve a legitimate need that Apple did not. - As noted this was done by subverting an API - Apple tolerated this (did they not know or not care or ?) - Apple released a competitive product with a new API - Apple begins removing products using the old methods The question is whether Apple is allowing existing products to migrate to the new API or are they locked out? If existing products cannot use the same API then my sense is that Apple is indeed being anti-competitive.

saagarjha 7y ago
Apple’s competitive product (namely, Screen Time) has no API. It’s a system level feature that no third-party app has access to.
- mkozlows 7y ago
  Which is not a fact of nature, but a decision that Apple made.
  - seandougall 7y ago
    Is it impossible to believe that was a legitimate security decision? How would you implement such an API and prevent developers from abusing it for spyware purposes? Personally, even though I opt into sharing app-specific usage data with developers, I don’t particularly want my global device-level usage statistics available to any random app that also has network entitlements.
joshstrange 7y ago
“Competitive product”? I’m sorry but they released a real solution and then started to remove the anti-privacy hacks. Also people don’t seem to understand so I’ll spell it out: APPLE IS LOSING MONEY FROM THIS DECISION. Screen time makes them no money (yes you can argue maybe they make more money from devices because of its existance but that’s a stretch). I’m betting they put up with these apps because they realized there was no good alternative. Now they they have a real solution there is no reason to allow there privacy nightmares to continue to exist (in their current form at least).

johnmarcus 7y ago

I also read mik123211's shill comment from Apple, I suspect this is one here too. Apple's feedback blows, and you clearly have never submitted an app to the store in order to know that. Apples allowed these apps for 10+ years - enough to build business off of that feed multiple families - and then changed the rules with 30 days notice. Conveniently, just coincidentally, this 10 year period came to an end as they developed a competing feature. Try to develop a few apps and then you can talk about what "app developers" know about itunes terms and conditions. if you think Apple doesn't apply their rules as it suites them, you are gravely mistaken.

joshstrange 7y ago
This is the deal you sign when you develop on someone else’s platform. It’s the same for Android, Facebook, etc. If you don’t like then go develop for Android exclusively. Please do not prevend that these app developers didn’t 100% know they operated in a VERY gray area.
sctb 7y ago
> Please don't impute astroturfing or shillage. That degrades discussion and is usually mistaken. If you're worried about it, email us and we'll look at the data. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html