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GP's comment specifically says, > 1. I want to be able to run my preferred free software. and Apple in general is the chief abuser of this user freedom, less

GP's comment specifically says, > 1. I want to be able to run my preferred free software. and Apple in general is the chief abuser of this user freedom, less so on Mac devices, but extremely so on iPhone/iOS devices: it allows to run only vetted software, often against the interests of the users, and, in some cases, retroactively altering the deals [0], so "doing a market research" prior to buying the device, as many regular HN users suggest, won't really help. [0]: Pray they don't alter it any further.

vbezhenar 4y ago
Apple just recently removed from AppStore one of the most popular map application (2GIS). It contains absolutely unique information for my city, lots of reviews, etc. It's hard to imagine my life without this app nowadays. Now I'm thinking about Android phone, as my iPhone 8 started to throttle and I think it's time to upgrade.
- maratc 4y ago
  To put this in context: the developer of 2GIS is a Russian company with headquarters in Novosibirsk, owned mostly by Sberbank. They have most likely been sanctioned due to Russian invasion of Ukraine. I don't think Apple had any choice in the matter of removing it.
  - wink 4y ago
    True, but on any other platform you'd just sideload it. State sanctions do not apply to people doing things in private, for the most part.
  - vbezhenar 4y ago
    Apple has had choice to allow side-loading. And some rumors that they're working on it is the only thing that keeps me interested in this platform, honestly. That's not the problem with Android, for example. Google can remove all they want from their Play Store, installing APK is easy. PS it's funny that Europe pushing for side-loading could potentially help with by-passing sanctions.
    - Hamuko 4y ago
      There's nothing stopping you from side-loading Mac applications. Just download the application bundle, right click on it and choose "Open".
      - majewsky 4y ago
        OP was talking about phone apps.
        Hamuko 4y ago
        But the context of this entire post is laptops.
    - bakugo 4y ago
      > Google can remove all they want from their Play Store, installing APK is easy. Please, let's not act like this is a real solution. It's definitely better than not having that option at all, but: - 99.5% of users don't even know it exists or how to do it because it's intentionally hidden away - Because of the above fact, it's generally not viable to develop an application that can only be sideloaded, anything that gets removed from the Play Store usually dies - Google has recently been moving away from the traditional APK format and towards their new "split APK" structure meaning you cannot sideload apps that were downloaded from the Play Store without a third party app to handle it
    - maratc 4y ago
      > Apple has had choice to allow side-loading. They had that choice, and they've chosen not to. This, on one hand, keeps you from side-loading 2GIS, but on the other hand, keeps seniors' iPhones from crapware (as per TLA). > That's not the problem with Android The wider problem is what will happen when your side-loaded APK will need to make a TLS connection to 2GIS website, but its TLS certificate has been declared invalid by the cert authority (because sanctions). Or what will happen when the BGP routing protocol will direct the traffic to 2GIS website to go to a sinkhole (because sanctions). Or what will happen when 2GIS web servers from HP and Dell will be rendered inoperable by a remote command (because sanctions). > it's funny that Europe pushing for side-loading could potentially help with by-passing sanctions. No doubt Linux, OpenOffice, and RISC-V will be of tremendous help to Putin's Russia.
  - Andrew_nenakhov 4y ago
    Apple had a choice to NOT have a restrictive policy on not allowing app sideloading. It wouldn't be an issue for users if they could just download the app themselves. This way Apple could comply with sanctions, removing the app from the AppStore, and not causing their users any real harm. This would also allow users in China to use messaging apps like Signal.

vbezhenar 4y ago

Apple just recently removed from AppStore one of the most popular map application (2GIS). It contains absolutely unique information for my city, lots of reviews, etc. It's hard to imagine my life without this app nowadays. Now I'm thinking about Android phone, as my iPhone 8 started to throttle and I think it's time to upgrade.

maratc 4y ago
To put this in context: the developer of 2GIS is a Russian company with headquarters in Novosibirsk, owned mostly by Sberbank. They have most likely been sanctioned due to Russian invasion of Ukraine. I don't think Apple had any choice in the matter of removing it.
- wink 4y ago
  True, but on any other platform you'd just sideload it. State sanctions do not apply to people doing things in private, for the most part.
- vbezhenar 4y ago
  Apple has had choice to allow side-loading. And some rumors that they're working on it is the only thing that keeps me interested in this platform, honestly. That's not the problem with Android, for example. Google can remove all they want from their Play Store, installing APK is easy. PS it's funny that Europe pushing for side-loading could potentially help with by-passing sanctions.
  - Hamuko 4y ago
    There's nothing stopping you from side-loading Mac applications. Just download the application bundle, right click on it and choose "Open".
    - majewsky 4y ago
      OP was talking about phone apps.
      - Hamuko 4y ago
        But the context of this entire post is laptops.
  - bakugo 4y ago
    > Google can remove all they want from their Play Store, installing APK is easy. Please, let's not act like this is a real solution. It's definitely better than not having that option at all, but: - 99.5% of users don't even know it exists or how to do it because it's intentionally hidden away - Because of the above fact, it's generally not viable to develop an application that can only be sideloaded, anything that gets removed from the Play Store usually dies - Google has recently been moving away from the traditional APK format and towards their new "split APK" structure meaning you cannot sideload apps that were downloaded from the Play Store without a third party app to handle it
  - maratc 4y ago
    > Apple has had choice to allow side-loading. They had that choice, and they've chosen not to. This, on one hand, keeps you from side-loading 2GIS, but on the other hand, keeps seniors' iPhones from crapware (as per TLA). > That's not the problem with Android The wider problem is what will happen when your side-loaded APK will need to make a TLS connection to 2GIS website, but its TLS certificate has been declared invalid by the cert authority (because sanctions). Or what will happen when the BGP routing protocol will direct the traffic to 2GIS website to go to a sinkhole (because sanctions). Or what will happen when 2GIS web servers from HP and Dell will be rendered inoperable by a remote command (because sanctions). > it's funny that Europe pushing for side-loading could potentially help with by-passing sanctions. No doubt Linux, OpenOffice, and RISC-V will be of tremendous help to Putin's Russia.
- Andrew_nenakhov 4y ago
  Apple had a choice to NOT have a restrictive policy on not allowing app sideloading. It wouldn't be an issue for users if they could just download the app themselves. This way Apple could comply with sanctions, removing the app from the AppStore, and not causing their users any real harm. This would also allow users in China to use messaging apps like Signal.