4 ms·

Why? Security and ensuring "It just works". Choice, freedom, and customization are enemies to both. We can see this in action with the last MacOS update. I'm no

Why? Security and ensuring "It just works". Choice, freedom, and customization are enemies to both. We can see this in action with the last MacOS update. I'm not saying that I'm with either side, but these are the pros and cons. What I'm not seeing is, does iOS have even enough market share dominance to require regulation? From what I remember they only have around 15% of the market.

redwall_hp 6y ago
In the US, approximately 50% of smartphones in use are running iOS. It's lower globally, but the US market is the only one that matters when it comes to antitrust in the US.
madeofpalk 6y ago
"It just works" was a jingoism from before the iPhone existed. Do Macs not "work"?
- meekrohprocess 6y ago
  They work fine, as long as you never update them within 3 weeks of a new OS release. And if Apple's authentication servers are up. Using them at work is a blessing and a curse.
- dijit 6y ago
  > Do Macs not "work"? Not even close to as well as iPhones do. Speaking from personal experience I've had a few apps crash on my phone for sure, but overall it's the most "solid" computing experience I have ever had outside of Solaris. MacOS on the other hand? Frequently gets itself into a state where "WindowServer" is consuming half my memory, or some network kerfuffle stops me being able to reach anything for a few minutes, or it kernel panics. Not to mention the bloody updates which unlink GCC/CLANG but kinda keep it around which means I have to go clean my drive manually and crap. Ugh, exhausting. Sometimes I consider going back to linux for work honestly.
- rdn 6y ago
  Not without various third-party adapters. Even then it's not a given that peripherals will work, or work consistently.
Kbelicius 6y ago
iOS has >50% of the market in USA
- slivanes 6y ago
  Yep, and also 100% of the App market on iOS.
  - colejohnson66 6y ago
    And Microsoft has 100% of the market on the Xbox Store? And Sony has 100% of the market on the PS Store? I’m not following... If you define the “market” so precisely, anyone can have a monopoly on something.
    - km3r 6y ago
      Game consoles are not general computing devices, PCs/Macs are. I believe phones have become so as well, but that I think thats where the debate lies.
      - colejohnson66 6y ago
        What I’m wondering is: what makes a “general computing device”? As Sony showed with OtherOS on the PS3 (and PS3 based supercomputers), a console can be used as a general purpose computer. It ran full blown Linux and supported USB peripherals. While a phone is integral to daily life, that doesn’t make something “general purpose”, IMO. I can’t write code comfortably on it, for example. The iPad, OTOH, could be argued to be a general purpose computer. Heck, Apple even advertises it as a laptop replacement! But phones? I just don’t see it. ---- That debate is the fundamental rub though: if you don’t see phones as “general purpose”, you’re more ok with locked down systems (consoles for example), but if you do see them as that, opening them up seems logical. The problem is that phones are in a gray area; they do many things computers do such as web browsing, email, etc., but they don’t function as them sometimes. Sure, we could put VS Code on Android, but I doubt anyone would ever use it. So there’s not really a clear answer, and it isn’t helped by bad arguments from both sides: the “open” crowd claims nothing would change for those who don’t want it do (just keep using Apple’s App Store and ignore the others), but it would very easily cause a race to the bottom. And the “closed” crowd says to just choose Android, but Android is in many ways worse than iOS; worse privacy is a big thing.
anoncake 6y ago
The market in question is iOS app stores (or iOS apps), not smartphone operating systems.
- wltprgm 6y ago
  Your comment being downvoted just proved that there are more Apple fanboys on Hacker news. I thought people over here can comprehend properly, it is unlikely the case
baby 6y ago
It's going to blow your mind, in the US 61.23% of phone users use iOS. (It's not as bad in the rest of the world.)

redwall_hp 6y ago

In the US, approximately 50% of smartphones in use are running iOS. It's lower globally, but the US market is the only one that matters when it comes to antitrust in the US.

madeofpalk 6y ago

"It just works" was a jingoism from before the iPhone existed. Do Macs not "work"?

meekrohprocess 6y ago
They work fine, as long as you never update them within 3 weeks of a new OS release. And if Apple's authentication servers are up. Using them at work is a blessing and a curse.
dijit 6y ago
> Do Macs not "work"? Not even close to as well as iPhones do. Speaking from personal experience I've had a few apps crash on my phone for sure, but overall it's the most "solid" computing experience I have ever had outside of Solaris. MacOS on the other hand? Frequently gets itself into a state where "WindowServer" is consuming half my memory, or some network kerfuffle stops me being able to reach anything for a few minutes, or it kernel panics. Not to mention the bloody updates which unlink GCC/CLANG but kinda keep it around which means I have to go clean my drive manually and crap. Ugh, exhausting. Sometimes I consider going back to linux for work honestly.
rdn 6y ago
Not without various third-party adapters. Even then it's not a given that peripherals will work, or work consistently.

Kbelicius 6y ago

iOS has >50% of the market in USA

slivanes 6y ago
Yep, and also 100% of the App market on iOS.
- colejohnson66 6y ago
  And Microsoft has 100% of the market on the Xbox Store? And Sony has 100% of the market on the PS Store? I’m not following... If you define the “market” so precisely, anyone can have a monopoly on something.
  - km3r 6y ago
    Game consoles are not general computing devices, PCs/Macs are. I believe phones have become so as well, but that I think thats where the debate lies.
    - colejohnson66 6y ago
      What I’m wondering is: what makes a “general computing device”? As Sony showed with OtherOS on the PS3 (and PS3 based supercomputers), a console can be used as a general purpose computer. It ran full blown Linux and supported USB peripherals. While a phone is integral to daily life, that doesn’t make something “general purpose”, IMO. I can’t write code comfortably on it, for example. The iPad, OTOH, could be argued to be a general purpose computer. Heck, Apple even advertises it as a laptop replacement! But phones? I just don’t see it. ---- That debate is the fundamental rub though: if you don’t see phones as “general purpose”, you’re more ok with locked down systems (consoles for example), but if you do see them as that, opening them up seems logical. The problem is that phones are in a gray area; they do many things computers do such as web browsing, email, etc., but they don’t function as them sometimes. Sure, we could put VS Code on Android, but I doubt anyone would ever use it. So there’s not really a clear answer, and it isn’t helped by bad arguments from both sides: the “open” crowd claims nothing would change for those who don’t want it do (just keep using Apple’s App Store and ignore the others), but it would very easily cause a race to the bottom. And the “closed” crowd says to just choose Android, but Android is in many ways worse than iOS; worse privacy is a big thing.

anoncake 6y ago

The market in question is iOS app stores (or iOS apps), not smartphone operating systems.

wltprgm 6y ago
Your comment being downvoted just proved that there are more Apple fanboys on Hacker news. I thought people over here can comprehend properly, it is unlikely the case

baby 6y ago

It's going to blow your mind, in the US 61.23% of phone users use iOS. (It's not as bad in the rest of the world.)