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Just recently my company’s HR forced us to download a payroll vendor’s app on our phones. The app was downloaded from the App Store.

• extra88 5y ago
  Because it’s from the Apple App Store, you can be reasonably sure it does what it says and isn’t monitoring your communications. You can also use permissions to deny it things like background app refresh or location data.
  • celsoazevedo 5y ago
    No review from Apple is a downside, but I doubt iOS' system permissions are tied to the App Store. On Android (and Windows/macOS, to a certain extent), the OS asks you if you let <app> access/use <feature> independently of how the app was installed. Also, can apps monitor your communications on iOS? On Android you can replace the apps that control calls, sms, etc, but that wasn't possible on iOS last time I used it.
    • extra88 5y ago
      To be honest, I don’t know what an app literally can’t do on an iOS device (or Android device), regardless of how it gets there. I expect there are private APIs that could be exploited to do things an app otherwise couldn’t do that could be against the user’s interests.
      • celsoazevedo 5y ago
        Apps on iOS and Android run inside a sandbox. If Apple allows apps to bypass the sandbox like that, then iOS isn't very secure/private. I know there are downsides if they allow sideloading, but iOS is very restrictive and Apple would still control iOS. They can add more restrictions and fix flaws if needed.