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I would love for Apple to create an App Store populated only with apps that did things their way, guaranteeing a certain level of security and privacy. They co

I would love for Apple to create an App Store populated only with apps that did things their way, guaranteeing a certain level of security and privacy. They could easily allow other app stores that did things the other way, surviving off capturing user details and selling it off wholesale or whatever. Let consumers make their own choice. It would enable Apple to get rid of a shedload of insecure , spammy apps that provide minimal benefits to users in a crowded app market. Apple could, if managed properly, turn it into a major selling point.

intopieces 7y ago
>”Let consumers make their own choice.” Consumer choice is predicated on information symmetry that does not exist in this market. Consumers make the wrong choice all the time and it’s the company that allowed it to happen that pays for it in the form of bad PR. See: YouTube and the weird kids content. There wasn’t anyone stepping up to defend Google with the argument that “Google was just letting consumers (parents) make the choice.”
- pfranz 7y ago
  Thank you for bringing up "information symmetry." I feel like this is always missing in discussions of free markets and capitalism. To me, information asymmetry is what most regulations are trying to address (package labeling, testing, process standards). In areas where consumer/producer already have the same information regulations aren't needed and cause unnecessary problems.
kevingrahl 7y ago
This is what I’d like to see; Require all Apps distributed via their AppStore to conform to their requirements regarding privacy and whatever else they want like they are doing right now. Apps can and should get kicked out of their store if they repeatedly sell user data or otherwise don’t follow Apple’s rules. Then let App devs, if they want to do that, apply for additional manual checks. They could probably get away with charging for that check. If Apple is satisfied that the App only does what it’s supposed to and doesn’t abuse its privileges or send data to third parties, approve it and mark it as such. Some kind of badge prominently displayed on the App Store marking that App as “checked by Apple” or something. Give App Store users an option to hide Apps not checked by Apple. Sure it gives Apple even greater power as a gatekeeper but I think the benefit to consumers caring about privacy outweighs that.
- scarface74 7y ago
  How is Apple suppose to do “manual” checks to ensure that data sent to the app makers server is not then sent to third parties? Your design gives way too much credit to the average user who is not clamoring for any app that is not on the App Store. Where is the killer app that’s available for Android but not for iOS that making its developer serious money?
gwd 7y ago
> It would enable Apple to get rid of a shedload of insecure , spammy apps that provide minimal benefits to users in a crowded app market. But those apps would still be Apple's problem, because they run on Apple's operating system. If Apple lets other "stores" on the platform, you can bet one of them is going to be the cesspool of every bad app there ever was; and when those apps do damage, Apple will be blamed. Think of it this way: At the moment, there are two layers of protection for iOS users. The first layer is the app approval layer; the vast majority of malicious apps just don't get approved at all. Then, for those that slip past that defense, there are the normal OS defenses. And if an app is caught violating the rules, they can be kicked out. If they let other app stores onto their platform, suddenly that first layer is gone: every malicious app in existence will find its way onto a chunk of their users' phones, at which point the OS protection are a single point of failure.
- Drew_ 7y ago
  > If Apple lets other "stores" on the platform, you can bet one of them is going to be the cesspool of every bad app there ever was; and when those apps do damage, Apple will be blamed. Google is doing just fine with 70-80% of the world I'm sure Apple can figure it out.
  - scarface74 7y ago
    As long as you exclude China from the world - they mostly use AOSP variants with no Google Services.

intopieces 7y ago

>”Let consumers make their own choice.” Consumer choice is predicated on information symmetry that does not exist in this market. Consumers make the wrong choice all the time and it’s the company that allowed it to happen that pays for it in the form of bad PR. See: YouTube and the weird kids content. There wasn’t anyone stepping up to defend Google with the argument that “Google was just letting consumers (parents) make the choice.”

pfranz 7y ago
Thank you for bringing up "information symmetry." I feel like this is always missing in discussions of free markets and capitalism. To me, information asymmetry is what most regulations are trying to address (package labeling, testing, process standards). In areas where consumer/producer already have the same information regulations aren't needed and cause unnecessary problems.

kevingrahl 7y ago

This is what I’d like to see; Require all Apps distributed via their AppStore to conform to their requirements regarding privacy and whatever else they want like they are doing right now. Apps can and should get kicked out of their store if they repeatedly sell user data or otherwise don’t follow Apple’s rules. Then let App devs, if they want to do that, apply for additional manual checks. They could probably get away with charging for that check. If Apple is satisfied that the App only does what it’s supposed to and doesn’t abuse its privileges or send data to third parties, approve it and mark it as such. Some kind of badge prominently displayed on the App Store marking that App as “checked by Apple” or something. Give App Store users an option to hide Apps not checked by Apple. Sure it gives Apple even greater power as a gatekeeper but I think the benefit to consumers caring about privacy outweighs that.

scarface74 7y ago
How is Apple suppose to do “manual” checks to ensure that data sent to the app makers server is not then sent to third parties? Your design gives way too much credit to the average user who is not clamoring for any app that is not on the App Store. Where is the killer app that’s available for Android but not for iOS that making its developer serious money?

gwd 7y ago

> It would enable Apple to get rid of a shedload of insecure , spammy apps that provide minimal benefits to users in a crowded app market. But those apps would still be Apple's problem, because they run on Apple's operating system. If Apple lets other "stores" on the platform, you can bet one of them is going to be the cesspool of every bad app there ever was; and when those apps do damage, Apple will be blamed. Think of it this way: At the moment, there are two layers of protection for iOS users. The first layer is the app approval layer; the vast majority of malicious apps just don't get approved at all. Then, for those that slip past that defense, there are the normal OS defenses. And if an app is caught violating the rules, they can be kicked out. If they let other app stores onto their platform, suddenly that first layer is gone: every malicious app in existence will find its way onto a chunk of their users' phones, at which point the OS protection are a single point of failure.

Drew_ 7y ago
> If Apple lets other "stores" on the platform, you can bet one of them is going to be the cesspool of every bad app there ever was; and when those apps do damage, Apple will be blamed. Google is doing just fine with 70-80% of the world I'm sure Apple can figure it out.
- scarface74 7y ago
  As long as you exclude China from the world - they mostly use AOSP variants with no Google Services.