Apple has completely lost their credibility with me every time they use "privacy & security" as an excuse to exploit their users. Does anybody actually know what Meta is asking for in these cases?
Given that context, Meta being unreasonable in what they ask for proves Apple's point that having things locked down benefits their users. While true in this instance, it's also a convenient excuse to justify retaining the level of control they want.
For the record, I do agree with you: Apple's investment in on-device AI tools, their history of not training Siri using user data, etc are clear examples of them actually acting on the values they advertise on. Even if it's a cynical marketing-driven decision, they're still acting on it.
Android phones have no such artificial limitation.
I’m not asking rhetorically, I’m genuinely curious and an unfamiliar with the finer details of Apple’s phone/watch pairing. When replying to a text in iMessage from a paired watch, is the watch actually using internal APIs? You sign in on the watch with your AppleID, so I would assume no, the watch is just using the phones cell connection to communicate with Apple’s iMessage servers directly.
If you pair an Apple Watch to an Android phone, can you still use the iMessage app on the Watch? Yes, right? If so, there’s obviously not going to be any internal Apple APIs in play.
AFA Security and privacy, I think security issues have been brought up previously on HN where the relative closed-ness of Apple and how the respond to some security reports raises questions whether the RDF is in play.
I want to be clear that I trust them more than others. At the same time, while I got my dad an iPhone to replace his Lumia 640 (because Microsoft does stupid things) I still use an android phone. Why? Because for someone like him, yes, it is safer.
> Can you elaborate on this “excuse” and “exploitation” you are talking about? I am curious because I fully believe Apple really cares about security and privacy and goes to great lengths to preserve it for their users. Sure they use it as a strategy, and that is how they justify the investment.
Going back to windows phone, I'll give a fun example. Why didn't Windows phones get Snapchat? because MS literally would not let that be collectible by 3rd party apps (Not sure about 1st party.) and that was a sticking point.
Not the best move for them at the time (definitely hurt uptake on folks still 'new' to smartphones to become a 3rd player) yet it is arguably a more strict stance than what apple did/does.
I'll also note, Apple gets instant bad karma from me AFA the combination of (1) not allowing sideloading, (2) taking the cut they do on all transactions, alongside (3) still giving better deals to huge players like netflix.
TBH I just want to be able to buy shit to read on my kindle account without going through a circus on my android phone, yet it's a big sign of how fucked things are in the overall ecosystem.
You can refine your argument to say “but that requires a MacBook and Xcode and two or three clicks to install” but it’s still side loading even if there’s some friction. Always has been.
No, because your counterpoint is disingenuous compared to options in other ecosystems.
For starters, I can't just 'side load' shit I want to FAFO with from Itch.io that way, can I? Maybe I could, if I had a Macbook, but I don't. Also that's way way way more ceremony+cost than downloading an APK.
Fire Tablet sideloading is just a matter a couple flips in a settings menu.
Actual 'Android' devices are typically similar or less ceremony, although some security features may? have issues depending on how dumb they are vs how dumb what you are installing is vs how dumb you are for accepting the perms it asked for.
But, for either of those cases, I don't need to pay 8$ a month and buy a macbook for the 'privilege' of installing whatever app I want on hardware I purchased.
Frankly it's been the main thing that has kept me personally away from iPhones for the better part of a decade.
At this point the conversation veers off into arguments about lack of custom web renderers and JIT. I'll save you the trouble. iOS only allows safari wrappers because the kernel prevents mmap W^X to save Apple the support costs when Chrome gets a 0-day. That is the technical reason and it has nothing to do with side loading.
> Plenty of Android devices make it virtually impossible to side-load (Xiaomi)
OK so cherry picking specific android devices vs everything I've managed to buy in the last 12 years to your recurring cost (Primarily Samsung, sadly) for Andoid.
> iOS only allows safari wrappers because the kernel prevents mmap W^X to save Apple the support costs when Chrome gets a 0-day.
How's that going for them again? With the 0 days and kernel exploits?
I'll agree it's better than Android but the overall is still smoke and mirrors IMO. You can have a non-safari browser boxed in non W^X env and it can work but JS might be trash.
I really -do- want to experience the RDF sometime, can you help me? What am I doing wrong?
https://developer.apple.com/support/downloads/DMA-Interopera...
AirPlay Continuity Camera
App Intents
Devices connected with Bluetooth
Apple Notification Center Service
iPhone Mirroring
CarPlay
Connectivity to all of a user’s Apple devices
Messaging
Wi-Fi networks and propertiesThe potential for data collection is massive.
I was tinkering with a firechat inspired mesh messaging concept as an indie iOS dev. I could not dismiss arguments about potential privacy concerns w/ persistent background apps advertising and scanning - but the lack thereof certainly dampens innovators too.
According to Apple they are asking for effectively everything on the device e.g. all photos, emails, messages, passwords. Far beyond what is needed for WhatsApp etc to work but would be game changing for their ad and AI platforms.
And plenty do let us know when Apple has used our own data to exploit us like Meta has.
The only way this works is what Apple and Google have implemented. Which is to allow access to a single photo or contact but not the entire library. But that’s not what Meta is after. They want everything.
Obviously they're not doing that. Why? Because these APIs give Apple's first party apps a competitive advantage. It lets them leverage their control of iOS into control of more and more markets without having to ever worry about competing on a level playing field. And inversely, the users' buy-in into these markets locks them tighter into the iOS ecosystem. It's a positive feedback cycle of abuse of a dominant market position.
Because they have a long pattern of using any collected data for advertising e.g. MFA phone numbers.