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Apple didn't have to lock users out of installing "unapproved" apps on their own. That isn't for the user's benefit and isn't necessary for apple to have a cura

Apple didn't have to lock users out of installing "unapproved" apps on their own. That isn't for the user's benefit and isn't necessary for apple to have a curated app store.

dwaite 5y ago
What would the alternative be - the method of installation is the App Store, and Apple's compliance was removing the public and private presence from the App Store within that country.
- oauea 5y ago
  Just allow sideloading. It's not hard to not block that. But apple is hell-bent on collecting every cent they can, so of course all app installations must go through their walled garden where they can take their 30%. Anti-consumer behavior at its finest.
  - mehrdada 5y ago
    Sideloading is allowed with a free developer account.
    - Andrew_nenakhov 5y ago
      Not really. You also need a computer running XCode (i.e. a mac), you'll need to follow the instructions out of 9 rather not obvious pounts and you'll also need to build be app you want to install. Oh, and of course you won't be able to use push notifications, because Apple.
      - simonklitj 5y ago
        Not true anymore! You can sideload .ipa's using AltStore without Xcode and without the source code.
        oauea 5y ago
        How? There must be some restrictions or this would be HUGE news and Epic would rejoice. edit: the apps expire after 1 week and need to be constantly reinstalled. This is abusing an exploit in apple's walled garden that will surely be "fixed".
        simonklitj 5y ago
        They’re not abusing an exploit. You might be able to argue that they’re abusing a policy. The fact is that you are allowed to sign apps with a free dev account, the cert will just expire after a week. AltStore’s been around since 2019, so they’ve had ample time to “fix” it. Edit: they do not need to be reinstalled. With AltStore the cert update is automatic and wireless (your computer handles it and sends the updated cert to your phone). You will never notice their expiration, and never need to reinstall, unless you’re away from your computer for more than a week.
        oauea 5y ago
        Yeah, I don't think I'm going to be able to explain all that to my users. Some of them don't even have a computer.
        mehrdada 5y ago
        You are changing the goalposts here. You don’t just want sideloading. You also want an easy way to do that at scale. However that’s not an obviously beneficial trade-off for the average user. The point is as the device owner you have the ability to run code on your own device outside App Store without paying Apple. To be able to effectively distribute such code to the average iOS user who may not understand how to deploy unsigned app and the potential implications of it is a different story and one that you could argue is designed to protect the layperson against themselves (contrast this with users running random .exe from emails on Windows).
simonklitj 5y ago
They do allow this with a free developer account. It’s not easy-easy, but tools to do it pretty effortlessly exist (AltStore).

Apple didn't have to lock users out of installing "unapproved" apps on their own. That isn't for the user's benefit and isn't necessary for apple to have a curated app store.

dwaite 5y ago

What would the alternative be - the method of installation is the App Store, and Apple's compliance was removing the public and private presence from the App Store within that country.

oauea 5y ago
Just allow sideloading. It's not hard to not block that. But apple is hell-bent on collecting every cent they can, so of course all app installations must go through their walled garden where they can take their 30%. Anti-consumer behavior at its finest.
- mehrdada 5y ago
  Sideloading is allowed with a free developer account.
  - Andrew_nenakhov 5y ago
    Not really. You also need a computer running XCode (i.e. a mac), you'll need to follow the instructions out of 9 rather not obvious pounts and you'll also need to build be app you want to install. Oh, and of course you won't be able to use push notifications, because Apple.
    - simonklitj 5y ago
      Not true anymore! You can sideload .ipa's using AltStore without Xcode and without the source code.
      - oauea 5y ago
        How? There must be some restrictions or this would be HUGE news and Epic would rejoice. edit: the apps expire after 1 week and need to be constantly reinstalled. This is abusing an exploit in apple's walled garden that will surely be "fixed".
        simonklitj 5y ago
        They’re not abusing an exploit. You might be able to argue that they’re abusing a policy. The fact is that you are allowed to sign apps with a free dev account, the cert will just expire after a week. AltStore’s been around since 2019, so they’ve had ample time to “fix” it. Edit: they do not need to be reinstalled. With AltStore the cert update is automatic and wireless (your computer handles it and sends the updated cert to your phone). You will never notice their expiration, and never need to reinstall, unless you’re away from your computer for more than a week.
        oauea 5y ago
        Yeah, I don't think I'm going to be able to explain all that to my users. Some of them don't even have a computer.
        mehrdada 5y ago
        You are changing the goalposts here. You don’t just want sideloading. You also want an easy way to do that at scale. However that’s not an obviously beneficial trade-off for the average user. The point is as the device owner you have the ability to run code on your own device outside App Store without paying Apple. To be able to effectively distribute such code to the average iOS user who may not understand how to deploy unsigned app and the potential implications of it is a different story and one that you could argue is designed to protect the layperson against themselves (contrast this with users running random .exe from emails on Windows).

simonklitj 5y ago

They do allow this with a free developer account. It’s not easy-easy, but tools to do it pretty effortlessly exist (AltStore).