15 comments

[ 2.4 ms ] story [ 57.2 ms ] thread
(comment deleted)
Right now Apple doing the right thing is costing them money. I think that this is something that many do not understand about regulations. To force all companies to do the right thing creates a level field were to compete in quality and price instead of on how much abuse can be inflicted upon the users before they quit (quite a lot probably as there are only 2 real options).
Apple doesn’t lose any revenue from this migration of ad spend, because they weren’t earning any revenue from this ad spend in the first place.
They don’t directly, but it will be interesting to see if apps start migrating preferentially to Android as the preferred platform for ‘free’ apps and they become more and more unable to monetize on iOS.
Just as planned.

This is all about killing Google and Facebook, while winning some small PR battles about privacy.

Meanwhile, such behaviour reinforces Apple as a luxury, aspirational brand and they sell more.

As an iOS user, I sure hope so. The plague of ad-ridden, data-scraping, non-native cross-platform junk UI free apps has noticeably harmed the quality of the platform, and I wish good riddance to them all. Perhaps Apple agrees with my view?
>apps start migrating preferentially to Android as the preferred platform for ‘free’ apps

It already is for truly free apps. There are a lot more apps on Android that cost nothing and have no ads (because you just pay $25 once instead of $100/year).

As for the ad-filled ones? I think you'll see less shovelware, but only slightly less, since the lowest quality shovelware will no longer be profitable. It won't lead to a real boost in overall app store quality, though.

> Apple doing the right thing is costing them money

Oh, Apple is working a profit angle with its "privacy" focus. I have an old iPad Retina that cannot browse many websites such as Reddit anymore because:

(1.) Apple doesn't update Safari on old devices

(2.) Apple doesn't allow non-Safari engine browsers

Apple's excuse for not allowing you to install Firefox and for maintaining its tight App store control is "privacy." So Apple can turn your $699 iPad 3rd gen into a paperweight even if its almost-unreplaceable battery hasn't worn out yet.

I have always wondered what would happen if one day Apple goes a bit too far and forces an influential company to pull their service from iOS devices. What would happen if, let's say, Facebook blocked iOS devices from using Instagram? Or if Google did the same thing with Search and YouTube?

Does any other company have a way to push back if Apple gets too drunk on their own power in the future? Or is the Apple user satisfaction so high that nothing can make people ditch their iPhones?

Obviously can't speak for everyone, but I would definitely stay on Apple's platform even if some big names left (after all, most if not all are available as a web app still anyway).

Doubly so if the big names are leaving over the collection of user data.

Unfortunately, I don't think the vast majority of people care about privacy (in regards to corporate spying and tracking) and would likely jump ship.

virtually all of the web based offerings are intentionally crippled or just bad these days though. i do not use apps when i can. installing them and not allowing notifications is pretty darn good but every single one ive used bugs me to enable notifications on a regular basis and i uninstall and try to tolerate web version again
I would switch to using an Apple device if they took that level of a principled stand on privacy. Until then I'm content with GrapheneOS.
I have similar thought on the issue but it is unlikely going to happen. Google are still paying $10B per year just to be the default search engine on Apple. If every Smartphone user has a Facebook account, dropping Apple would equal to dropping 25% of Facebook users, and anywhere between 37.5% to 50% of Ads revenue considering iOS user are worth 1.5x to 2x multiple.

>Does any other company have a way to push back if Apple gets too drunk on their own power in the future? Or is the Apple user satisfaction so high that nothing can make people ditch their iPhones?

Would love to hear it if someone has any idea on this. I have been thinking about this every now and then for more than a few years now. Strategically speaking Apple is still indestructible. It is a rather sad reality within 10 years of Steve Jobs passing away Apple has turned into a monster.

I'd be ecstatic if Facebook pulled their apps from iOS. Never again could my family bug me to install WhatsApp or Facebook.