4 ms·

Obviously phones/game consoles would be game changing with this law, but i wonder what else would get hit... Could this impact the infotainment on cars? Google

Obviously phones/game consoles would be game changing with this law, but i wonder what else would get hit... Could this impact the infotainment on cars? Google Home devices? Smart TVs? This could have major affects on user's ability to control their devices.

dillondoyle 5y ago
That's a good question!! Do you think Alexa 'apps' count? If so making that work seems like it have to completely open 'Alexa' up (hooks into voice recognition, programming logic) as basically an extensible AWS type platform.
- vineyardmike 5y ago
  It doesn't seem like it since it specifies on-device stores, but hopefully!
judge2020 5y ago
As always, they draw an arbitrary line in the sand since they know they just want to target specific things. This hasn't been introduced yet, btw, so it doesn't have a real congress.gov entry - you'll have to settle for this https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/8.11.21%20-%20Open%20App%20Markets%20Act%20-%20Bill%20Text.pdf https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/8.11.21%20-%... > APP STORE.—The term ‘‘App Store’’ means a publicly available website, software application, or other electronic service that distributes Apps from third-party developers to users of a computer, a mobile device, or any other general purpose computing device General purpose computing device isn't even defined in this bill! Is the Xbox general purpose? Sure, most people use it to play games, but it has a full web browser with Microsoft Edge! the Switch and PS5 also have web browsers, just not with a URL bar. Do they qualify?
- Vespasian 5y ago
  Laws need to hit the right amount of vague in order to be practical. Courts and legal traditions will fill in the gaps (especially in a precedence heavy system like the US one). It wouldn't surprise me if there isn't already a standard interpretation for "general computing device".
  - judge2020 5y ago
    > general purpose computing device There really isn't, at least in the US Code. If there was and this law was referring to it, it would refer to it "as defined by U.S.C <number>". This discussion from a year ago illustrates my point; this bill is PR fluff and the one they actually discuss putting into law will have to be more specific https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24191018 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24191018
- musicale 5y ago
  A simple way to determine whether a device is primarily a "gaming handheld" is to follow the money. According to statista.com, "gaming apps accounted for 85 percent of gross app revenues in the Google Play store in 2019."

dillondoyle 5y ago

That's a good question!! Do you think Alexa 'apps' count? If so making that work seems like it have to completely open 'Alexa' up (hooks into voice recognition, programming logic) as basically an extensible AWS type platform.

vineyardmike 5y ago
It doesn't seem like it since it specifies on-device stores, but hopefully!

judge2020 5y ago

As always, they draw an arbitrary line in the sand since they know they just want to target specific things. This hasn't been introduced yet, btw, so it doesn't have a real congress.gov entry - you'll have to settle for this https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/8.11.21%20-%20Open%20App%20Markets%20Act%20-%20Bill%20Text.pdf https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/8.11.21%20-%... > APP STORE.—The term ‘‘App Store’’ means a publicly available website, software application, or other electronic service that distributes Apps from third-party developers to users of a computer, a mobile device, or any other general purpose computing device General purpose computing device isn't even defined in this bill! Is the Xbox general purpose? Sure, most people use it to play games, but it has a full web browser with Microsoft Edge! the Switch and PS5 also have web browsers, just not with a URL bar. Do they qualify?

Vespasian 5y ago
Laws need to hit the right amount of vague in order to be practical. Courts and legal traditions will fill in the gaps (especially in a precedence heavy system like the US one). It wouldn't surprise me if there isn't already a standard interpretation for "general computing device".
- judge2020 5y ago
  > general purpose computing device There really isn't, at least in the US Code. If there was and this law was referring to it, it would refer to it "as defined by U.S.C <number>". This discussion from a year ago illustrates my point; this bill is PR fluff and the one they actually discuss putting into law will have to be more specific https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24191018 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24191018
musicale 5y ago
A simple way to determine whether a device is primarily a "gaming handheld" is to follow the money. According to statista.com, "gaming apps accounted for 85 percent of gross app revenues in the Google Play store in 2019."