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I don't think you read the article. Apple boosted their generic Files app above Dropbox for the query Dropbox. That is the controversy.

quyleanh 5y ago
Upvote for you and downvote for OP. I think there will be more tricks from Apple to handle search result of other apps.
deleted 5y ago
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ummonk 5y ago
Yeah but even before reading the article I figured this was an algorithmic mistake, and apparently it is: "While Apple didn’t challenge the idea that Files was unfairly ranked over Dropbox, the company says the reality was a simple mistake: the Files app had a Dropbox integration, so Apple put “Dropbox” into the app’s metadata, and it was automatically ranked higher for “Dropbox” searches as a result."
- yyyk 5y ago
  The emails themselves say it was a "manual boost" rather than the PR explanation you provided.
  - weird-eye-issue 5y ago
    I'm a little conflicted who to believe. But it sounds like there are specific keywords an app developer can specify for their apps that signals to the App Store search what to rank for (kind of like having keywords on your website tells Google what your page is about). From my understanding Apple manually put "Dropbox" as one of the keywords and that is what they removed. If other app developers can put in keywords like that (and not just Apple for their own apps) then it doesn't sound too bad... But if it was a separate system that is not accessible to other developers to manipulate then that is less cool.
    - ummonk 5y ago
      Apple's explanation makes perfect sense. They didn't manually put "Dropbox" as one of the keyboards, but the integration of Dropbox with Files results in "Dropbox" being automatically added to the metadata of the Files app, and the metadata automatically gets indexed by the search system
      - weird-eye-issue 5y ago
        That's not manual though, it sounded like somewhere along the way somebody manually added the word Dropbox to the app's keywords
  - ummonk 5y ago
    The point is that the manual boost was for the Files app in general, not for the "Dropbox" search query specifically.
- NicoJuicy 5y ago
  If(query=='dropbox') BoostInternallApp('files') Not really sure how that can be a "mistake"
  - ummonk 5y ago
    No, it was just BoostInteralApp('files'). Now, since both Dropbox and Files were results for the "dropbox" search term (because the Files app contained "dropbox" in its metadata if Dropbox was installed, and metadata got indexed by the search system), the latter ended up first due to getting boosted.
MetaWhirledPeas 5y ago
While this is an abuse of their monopoly powers, to me this is less bad than locking out 3rd party app stores. I never heard much complaining about that before Epic did their thing.
- kwdc 5y ago
  The whole point of gaining monopoly status is to be able to use and apply these kinds of manipulations. This doesn't make it right however. Epic is one of a few large enough to make the necessary waves to have an impact. But behind Epic are thousands of unhappy app developers. Most of which are otherwise ignored. Also, complain too loudly and Apple has plenty of indirect ways to harm you. This is also an outcome of monopoly.
  - spicybright 5y ago
    Indirect? They can shut down an app for any reason with no recourse if they wanted.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]

quyleanh 5y ago

Upvote for you and downvote for OP. I think there will be more tricks from Apple to handle search result of other apps.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

ummonk 5y ago

Yeah but even before reading the article I figured this was an algorithmic mistake, and apparently it is: "While Apple didn’t challenge the idea that Files was unfairly ranked over Dropbox, the company says the reality was a simple mistake: the Files app had a Dropbox integration, so Apple put “Dropbox” into the app’s metadata, and it was automatically ranked higher for “Dropbox” searches as a result."

yyyk 5y ago
The emails themselves say it was a "manual boost" rather than the PR explanation you provided.
- weird-eye-issue 5y ago
  I'm a little conflicted who to believe. But it sounds like there are specific keywords an app developer can specify for their apps that signals to the App Store search what to rank for (kind of like having keywords on your website tells Google what your page is about). From my understanding Apple manually put "Dropbox" as one of the keywords and that is what they removed. If other app developers can put in keywords like that (and not just Apple for their own apps) then it doesn't sound too bad... But if it was a separate system that is not accessible to other developers to manipulate then that is less cool.
  - ummonk 5y ago
    Apple's explanation makes perfect sense. They didn't manually put "Dropbox" as one of the keyboards, but the integration of Dropbox with Files results in "Dropbox" being automatically added to the metadata of the Files app, and the metadata automatically gets indexed by the search system
    - weird-eye-issue 5y ago
      That's not manual though, it sounded like somewhere along the way somebody manually added the word Dropbox to the app's keywords
- ummonk 5y ago
  The point is that the manual boost was for the Files app in general, not for the "Dropbox" search query specifically.
NicoJuicy 5y ago
If(query=='dropbox') BoostInternallApp('files') Not really sure how that can be a "mistake"
- ummonk 5y ago
  No, it was just BoostInteralApp('files'). Now, since both Dropbox and Files were results for the "dropbox" search term (because the Files app contained "dropbox" in its metadata if Dropbox was installed, and metadata got indexed by the search system), the latter ended up first due to getting boosted.

MetaWhirledPeas 5y ago

While this is an abuse of their monopoly powers, to me this is less bad than locking out 3rd party app stores. I never heard much complaining about that before Epic did their thing.

kwdc 5y ago
The whole point of gaining monopoly status is to be able to use and apply these kinds of manipulations. This doesn't make it right however. Epic is one of a few large enough to make the necessary waves to have an impact. But behind Epic are thousands of unhappy app developers. Most of which are otherwise ignored. Also, complain too loudly and Apple has plenty of indirect ways to harm you. This is also an outcome of monopoly.
- spicybright 5y ago
  Indirect? They can shut down an app for any reason with no recourse if they wanted.
deleted 5y ago
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