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Not having the ability to side load apps and having only one store is why I buy an iPhone in the first place.

boardwaalk 5y ago
The app store is so well established at this point, do you think it’ll matter if there are more ways to get apps? Google doesn’t have a problem with it and they’ve allowed it forever.
- dogma1138 5y ago
  Google doesn’t enforce nearly as many constraints as Apple does. Do you think the same restrictions that Apple currently enforces on app developers would remain in place?
  - Iv 5y ago
    Why not? You reach far more people through the stores. Just check the PC gamedev scene. There is basically zero constraints on getting an app installed and users are used to it, yet devs jump through hoops to be published on Steam because it gives visibility and access to many desirable features. If only the abilities to use Apple Pay in-app or to use Apple's advertisement distribution system are probably a good enough reason for 80% of the existing apps to continue being on the store.
    - dogma1138 5y ago
      Small devs yes, Facebook no.
LatteLazy 5y ago
No one will force you to use the other store, no one will make you side load apps. You can even voluntarily continue paying a higher commission, just post Apple cheques.
- dogma1138 5y ago
  Me maybe not, my peers would surely be forced when the big apps move away from the AppStore not because of the commission but because they can get away with shit that Apple doesn’t allow. Facebook, Google, TikTok w/eTok would move to their own store or to some shell they’ll set up and then move out of the App Store eventually you’ll be surprised how easy it would be for them to move their user base. If they’ll be able to pull off shit like requiring you to allow location sharing in the background all the time to use the app or force you to share contacts for the app to load which they would definitely be able to do as there would be no policies in place to prevent that that alone would be worth the cost of migrating to their own store even if they’ll lose a few customers… If you want to side load apps already then just buy a dev account and or use TestFlight there are ways to getting FOSS apps on your phone, it’s just has a buy in cost right now. Allowing users to do that for free by having to register for a dev account and registering their device might be a good compromise if you really only want to allow side loading for FOSS uses.
  - c6401 5y ago
    >Me maybe not, my peers would surely be forced when the big apps move away from the AppStore not because of the commission but because they can get away with shit that Apple doesn’t allow. Yeah, because that is what totally happened with Android which has 72% market share. Or is it? In actuality there were some alternative stores like Opera or Yandex store and all of them die out on some point. Amazon has an android store but you can't find a lot of apps there. There are vendor stores like samsung's or huawei's stores and my favorite f-droid, for OSS apps. But you can find EVEERYTHING in google play store and you'll have a hard time to live without it, like on Chinese devices or if you want to have de-googled android you'll need to find APKs on some weird mirrors. So no I don't buy it.
- FreezerburnV 5y ago
  Until the only way to get <app/game> that is either necessary or useful is via another store. e.g.: a transportation app, or something used to interact with family. I really dislike this constant refrain, because as soon as more stores can be integrated, all bets are off. Everybody who says this gives off the impression they aren't thinking more than 5 minutes into the future and we start seeing stuff like Epic having exclusive games, or Origin, or whatever else. And you better believe someone like Facebook and/or Amazon is going to take advantage of being able to build their own store.
wolfium3 5y ago
Not having the ability to side load apps and having only one store is why I buy DON'T buy an iPhone in the first place.

The app store is so well established at this point, do you think it’ll matter if there are more ways to get apps? Google doesn’t have a problem with it and they’ve allowed it forever.

dogma1138 5y ago
Google doesn’t enforce nearly as many constraints as Apple does. Do you think the same restrictions that Apple currently enforces on app developers would remain in place?
- Iv 5y ago
  Why not? You reach far more people through the stores. Just check the PC gamedev scene. There is basically zero constraints on getting an app installed and users are used to it, yet devs jump through hoops to be published on Steam because it gives visibility and access to many desirable features. If only the abilities to use Apple Pay in-app or to use Apple's advertisement distribution system are probably a good enough reason for 80% of the existing apps to continue being on the store.
  - dogma1138 5y ago
    Small devs yes, Facebook no.

LatteLazy 5y ago

No one will force you to use the other store, no one will make you side load apps. You can even voluntarily continue paying a higher commission, just post Apple cheques.

dogma1138 5y ago
Me maybe not, my peers would surely be forced when the big apps move away from the AppStore not because of the commission but because they can get away with shit that Apple doesn’t allow. Facebook, Google, TikTok w/eTok would move to their own store or to some shell they’ll set up and then move out of the App Store eventually you’ll be surprised how easy it would be for them to move their user base. If they’ll be able to pull off shit like requiring you to allow location sharing in the background all the time to use the app or force you to share contacts for the app to load which they would definitely be able to do as there would be no policies in place to prevent that that alone would be worth the cost of migrating to their own store even if they’ll lose a few customers… If you want to side load apps already then just buy a dev account and or use TestFlight there are ways to getting FOSS apps on your phone, it’s just has a buy in cost right now. Allowing users to do that for free by having to register for a dev account and registering their device might be a good compromise if you really only want to allow side loading for FOSS uses.
- c6401 5y ago
  >Me maybe not, my peers would surely be forced when the big apps move away from the AppStore not because of the commission but because they can get away with shit that Apple doesn’t allow. Yeah, because that is what totally happened with Android which has 72% market share. Or is it? In actuality there were some alternative stores like Opera or Yandex store and all of them die out on some point. Amazon has an android store but you can't find a lot of apps there. There are vendor stores like samsung's or huawei's stores and my favorite f-droid, for OSS apps. But you can find EVEERYTHING in google play store and you'll have a hard time to live without it, like on Chinese devices or if you want to have de-googled android you'll need to find APKs on some weird mirrors. So no I don't buy it.
FreezerburnV 5y ago
Until the only way to get <app/game> that is either necessary or useful is via another store. e.g.: a transportation app, or something used to interact with family. I really dislike this constant refrain, because as soon as more stores can be integrated, all bets are off. Everybody who says this gives off the impression they aren't thinking more than 5 minutes into the future and we start seeing stuff like Epic having exclusive games, or Origin, or whatever else. And you better believe someone like Facebook and/or Amazon is going to take advantage of being able to build their own store.

wolfium3 5y ago

Not having the ability to side load apps and having only one store is why I buy DON'T buy an iPhone in the first place.