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IOS is singled out because iOS is what all the test cases featured in the post were done on. The author does mention the issues are likely endemic to all mobile

IOS is singled out because iOS is what all the test cases featured in the post were done on. The author does mention the issues are likely endemic to all mobile app platforms. As a word of unsolicited advice, It's best to set your emotional attachments to a platform aside if you want to engage or broaden the discussion on legitimate technical matters.

dahart 15y ago
As a legitimate technical matter, the title of this article is downright misleading, and it was made that way intentionally. This is clearly not a case of a bunch of random app picks that all just happened to be iOS apps. The title drew a conclusion that is wholly unsupported by the article, there is no "secret iOS business". The title is also the most important line in the article, it doesnt matter if the author admitted his guilt later. My like or dislike of iOS has nothing to do with this, I simply want to find links to higher quality, more honest content on HN. Next time consider keeping your unsolicited advice to yourself.
- spinchange 15y ago
  How exactly were you or anyone else mislead? The guy ran a bunch of iOS apps with an HTTP proxy and posted the results (screen captures) and a requisite analysis. He didn't say or present the post as a comprehensive overview of the entire mobile app data/security model, but did offer that even though this was just a look at one platform, it was probably pervasive on all of them. As for the headline, he showed tons of data on the apps phoning home to Flurry, a 3rd party app analytics company, with his device ID and location across several unrelated apps. He then provided a link to Flurry's site and used their own language to describe what they do. "Secret Business" can also refer to that fact that all of this stuff is obscured by the app model and can't be readily observed or controlled by the user like it can in a web browser. Nothing about this is untrue, even if it is applies to other mobile app platforms. And again, he's "guilty" of saying that it does. All iOS apps are reviewed and approved by Apple before they're available. They hold themselves and their apps to a higher standard and if anything open themselves to more scrutiny than others for this reason. That's my opinion, not the authors. I saw your green username (new account) and that it was your first comment and was just trying to be helpful. Good luck in your search to find more "higher quality content" and discussion on HN than you already have.

dahart 15y ago

As a legitimate technical matter, the title of this article is downright misleading, and it was made that way intentionally. This is clearly not a case of a bunch of random app picks that all just happened to be iOS apps. The title drew a conclusion that is wholly unsupported by the article, there is no "secret iOS business". The title is also the most important line in the article, it doesnt matter if the author admitted his guilt later. My like or dislike of iOS has nothing to do with this, I simply want to find links to higher quality, more honest content on HN. Next time consider keeping your unsolicited advice to yourself.

spinchange 15y ago
How exactly were you or anyone else mislead? The guy ran a bunch of iOS apps with an HTTP proxy and posted the results (screen captures) and a requisite analysis. He didn't say or present the post as a comprehensive overview of the entire mobile app data/security model, but did offer that even though this was just a look at one platform, it was probably pervasive on all of them. As for the headline, he showed tons of data on the apps phoning home to Flurry, a 3rd party app analytics company, with his device ID and location across several unrelated apps. He then provided a link to Flurry's site and used their own language to describe what they do. "Secret Business" can also refer to that fact that all of this stuff is obscured by the app model and can't be readily observed or controlled by the user like it can in a web browser. Nothing about this is untrue, even if it is applies to other mobile app platforms. And again, he's "guilty" of saying that it does. All iOS apps are reviewed and approved by Apple before they're available. They hold themselves and their apps to a higher standard and if anything open themselves to more scrutiny than others for this reason. That's my opinion, not the authors. I saw your green username (new account) and that it was your first comment and was just trying to be helpful. Good luck in your search to find more "higher quality content" and discussion on HN than you already have.