4 ms·

It’s a gray area. If you look at apps like Snapchat, instagram and TikTok, they all have this concept of filters/lens/effect which are effectively <8mb bundles

It’s a gray area. If you look at apps like Snapchat, instagram and TikTok, they all have this concept of filters/lens/effect which are effectively <8mb bundles running JavaScript / lua scripts for visual effects and whatnot (see lens studio, meta spark and effect house). The key seemed to be to not use any JIT compilers and make sure it does not change the code of the app itself but mainly just act as a static runtime / engine for the effect. One app effectively violating that policy is WeChat with their mini programs, but they get away with it due to the fact that iOS without WeChat would be doa in China.

modeless 2y ago
It's not gray. Your examples do not violate policy because Apple has an explicit exception to allow stuff like that when specifically running in WebKit's JavaScript engine. That's why they use JavaScript, to qualify for the loophole. But as I said, Roblox does not use JavaScript or WebKit for running games and does not qualify for that exception. There is also an exception for "plug-ins" which seems like it could cover the case of camera filters, but definitely would not stretch to cover an entire embedded app store full of complete games purchased with a third-party currency.
- tasoeur 2y ago
  Going back to my prior example, selecting an AR Effect/Lens on TikTok/Insta/Snap and is kind of akin to a mini app store if you think about it: https://sh1ftdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/IMG_8904-1024x576.jpg https://sh1ftdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/IMG_8904...
  - modeless 2y ago
    If you think about it, a scrollable list of tiny free camera filters is not that similar to an enormous searchable catalog of complete and individually purchasable games. Apple clearly doesn't think these are the same thing either as demonstrated by their explicit policies allowing the former and their attempt to block cloud streaming apps from providing the latter, later turning into explicit policies specifically allowing it for cloud streaming apps and only cloud streaming apps, not Roblox-like apps.
  - Drakim 2y ago
    Maybe to us technical folks, but for everybody else on the planet it's night and day different.
yu3zhou4 2y ago
What’s doa?
- kwertyoowiyop 2y ago
  Dead On Arrival

modeless 2y ago

It's not gray. Your examples do not violate policy because Apple has an explicit exception to allow stuff like that when specifically running in WebKit's JavaScript engine. That's why they use JavaScript, to qualify for the loophole. But as I said, Roblox does not use JavaScript or WebKit for running games and does not qualify for that exception. There is also an exception for "plug-ins" which seems like it could cover the case of camera filters, but definitely would not stretch to cover an entire embedded app store full of complete games purchased with a third-party currency.

tasoeur 2y ago
Going back to my prior example, selecting an AR Effect/Lens on TikTok/Insta/Snap and is kind of akin to a mini app store if you think about it: https://sh1ftdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/IMG_8904-1024x576.jpg https://sh1ftdigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/IMG_8904...
- modeless 2y ago
  If you think about it, a scrollable list of tiny free camera filters is not that similar to an enormous searchable catalog of complete and individually purchasable games. Apple clearly doesn't think these are the same thing either as demonstrated by their explicit policies allowing the former and their attempt to block cloud streaming apps from providing the latter, later turning into explicit policies specifically allowing it for cloud streaming apps and only cloud streaming apps, not Roblox-like apps.
- Drakim 2y ago
  Maybe to us technical folks, but for everybody else on the planet it's night and day different.

yu3zhou4 2y ago

What’s doa?

kwertyoowiyop 2y ago
Dead On Arrival