All the people Apple just pissed off to better protect your privacy | Hacker News Reader

All the people Apple just pissed off to better protect your privacy

fastcompany.com

44 pointsPredictorY9 comments

Has this already been demonstrated? I doubt they are going to ask permission on every page that has a Facebook like button or a Disqus forum.

The prompt appears when a 3rd party control wants to access the Storage Access API. See https://developer.apple.com/safari/whats-new/

It's interesting that Apple is willing to move in this direction, considering that there are so many other serious issues they aren't going to address. When intelligent users get excited about these new features and do a deep dive into the subject of OS security/privacy a good chunk of them will end up permanently leaving for GNU/Linux.

I'd wager that my iPhone and MacBook (encrypted) are safer against 99% of all adversaries on this planet. Now maybe the NSA and some other high-level players can get around even the newest security features, but I'm pretty sure the crook that steals my phone can't, as well as my local police. What else should I be afraid off? If the NSA want to screw me, they will find ways around my computers. Same for CIA/FBI etc.

To me it appears that a modern iPhone is the most secure phone you can own. Not claiming to like it, but it is better than the one alternative OS you could use.

And other than the big players? Linux on your phone - probably a PITA; Linux on your Laptop/Workstation - fine if you don't need specific programs. But want to develop for iOS? It's mac all the way.

> want to develop for iOS?

Because of how restrictive apple is, if this is a requirement then none of the other reasons matter

That being said, I've been living, working and playing fine over in the android and linux ecosystems. "Specific programs" like xcode I guess, but most everything else has a generic equivalent

It's straight-up business differentiation on a level that their primary market understand and can point to against the detractors.

It helps the dyed-in-the-wool apple customers have an unassailable reason for their device being better than Android / Windows.

It's a genius move, but one they didn't really have a choice but to make (which takes the genius part away) because of the timing: They're the single big tech company on the side of user privacy.

(I'm an Android user and tend to avoid Apple products because I think they're overpriced and not customisable enough for someone like me who gets bored easily)

You make a good point, and they really didn't have a choice. They're trying to get out in front of the reality that Android is more secure than iOS. http://bgr.com/2018/03/15/ios-vs-android-security-malware-im... Their primary market probably isn't going to read through the technical points of Android's improvements, but will probably find these new Apple bullet points pretty impressive.

People believe in Apple’s message and don’t sweat the details when it comes to this stuff. I’m personally guilty of this. I love hearing about these stories and hate hearing about extreme vulnerablities Apple has neglected. I just keep hoping Apple learns from its mistakes and changes for the better.

Thanks for the honest reply, I can appreciate where you're coming from. If Tim Cook is indeed a HN lurker, as I believe him to be, I'm pretty sure he's going to both appreciate and remember your remark.

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