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Through gritted teeth, Apple and Google allow alternative app stores in Japan (www.theregister.com)
submitted 10 months ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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[–] 103 points 10 months ago (12 children)

Oh true competition. Nice.

It would be amazing knowing if as a tourist one can have access to a different browser in iPhone or sideload crazy apps that block ads without questioning.

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  • [–] 30 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    If it’s anything like the EU setup, it’s based off of where your iCloud account is based out of. At least I think that was what it was last time I went looking.

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  • [–] 22 points 10 months ago (1 child)

    Nope, Apple is way more anal than that.

    You need to have an iCloud account registered in the EU/Japan, AND be physically located in EU/Japan.

    Changing the iCloud account region requires you to contact Apple, surrendering all of your current account balance, and providing them with an EU/Japan billing method + address. Users have also reported mixed results with VPNs in getting around the physical location requirement.

    About alternative app distribution - Apple Support - https://support.apple.com/en-us/118110

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  • [–] 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

    Still, sounds like opening the floodgates.

    From the support articles:

    Alternative app distribution is available in the countries or regions of the European Union or Japan.

    Apps installed through alternative app distribution undergo a Notarization process to ensure every app meets baseline platform integrity standards, but it is up to each alternative app distributor to review apps in accordance with their own processes and policies.

    Your device eligibility for apps from alternative distribution is determined using on-device processing with only an indicator of eligibility sent to Apple. To preserve your privacy, Apple does not collect your deviceʼs location.

    In the European Union [iPhone and iPad]

    The country or region of your Apple Account must be set to one of the countries or regions of the European Union, and you must physically be located in the European Union. 

    In Japan [iPhone only]

    The country or region of your Apple Account must be set to Japan, and you must physically be located in Japan.

    If you leave your eligible country or region

    If you leave your eligible country or region, you can continue to open and use apps that you previously installed through alternative app distribution. You can continue to update apps from alternative app distribution for up to 90 days after you leave, and you can continue using alternative app distribution to manage previously installed apps. However, you must be in your eligible country or region to install alternative app marketplaces and new apps through alternative app distribution.

    Notarization for iOS and iPadOS apps is a baseline review that applies to all apps, regardless of their distribution channel, focused on platform policies for security and privacy and to maintain device integrity. Through a combination of automated checks and human review, Notarization helps ensure apps are free of known malware, viruses, or other security threats, function as promised, and don’t expose users to egregious fraud. 

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  • [+] -11 points 10 months ago (8 children)
    [deleted]
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  • [–] 54 points 10 months ago* (3 children)

    I wouldn’t call them different browsers, more like skins or “chrome”. All iOS browsers are built on Apple WebKit. This essentially makes all of them reskinned versions of Safari.

    Sure they may have some clever UI, accessibility, or platform specific functionality. But they are nothing like any of those browsers on other operating systems.

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  • [–] 17 points 10 months ago (3 children)

    They still all use the safari engine though, unless something has changed and I missed it.

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  • [–] 7 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    No, and it’s annoying because Safari’s extensions I’ll let you install ad blockers, but they won’t work on Firefox even though it’s still Safari

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    • [–] 96 points 10 months ago (6 children)

    "Allow". The fact that they must allow, is the key abhorrent element.

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  • [–] 28 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (4 children)

    Yeah, allow implies voluntary. They're only doing this because they're required to. Like how Apple only offers phones with USB-C where they're forced to. Turns out they don't do that.

    EDIT: I misjudged Apple.

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  • [–] 5 points 10 months ago* (3 children)

    Pretty sure Apple's newer phones are USB-C worldwide. I doubt they're leaving countries that don't require it stuck with old models.

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  • [–] 2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

    Huh. How about that. I figured they would just to be dicks. Serves me right for not checking.

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  • [–] 5 points 10 months ago

    I wouldn't give them any credit for that. I would sure bet you that they just decided that building USB-C iPhones for Europe and Lightning for everywhere else would be more expensive than what they ended up doing.

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    • [–] 79 points 10 months ago (5 children)

    This needs to be the standard. I don't understand how we ever allowed it in the first place, really.

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  • [–] 21 points 10 months ago*

    because of the cut in digital sales theyd get. phone companies are the current front, but its going to get extremely messy when the front gets for example, put into the console gaming front. its all for money for software they did not develop and prevent that money from going to any other payment processor.

    for example on the PS5 front, sony makes more than 50% of their revenue on live service games. none that they actually own themselves. Apple, and to a lesser extent, Google, apply that for ALL software, and gain additional money from developer subscriptions. It's the same fear Valve had back when Microsoft was pushing for the Microsoft Store to become the defacto storefront for personal computers. that push however failed miserably.

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  • [–] 17 points 10 months ago

    Phones were already restricted by what could be installed on them prior to smart devices entering the scene.

    Given how powerful the hardware is, it should have eased up long ago. They've over played their hand and are still unable to acknowledge it.

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    • [–] 55 points 10 months ago (1 child)

    Now we just need these laws worldwide.

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    • [–] 43 points 10 months ago (3 children)

    Cupertino has complied anyway, and said it introduced “Notarization for iOS apps, an authorization process for app marketplaces, and requirements that help protect children from inappropriate content and scams.”

    Notarization requirements mean that they still maintain total control over the operating system and what software it can run. These kinds of onerous requirements keep the bar artificially high for competitors and are only possible because they are still enforcing their monopolistic control over the platform.

    So no, they're not complying at all actually. They're just doing the same thing in a different way.

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  • [–] 17 points 10 months ago

    Exactly what Google was trying to enforce with their mandatory developer verification/app signing until they backed down. Hopefully that lasts for a while, but the future of open computing isn't bright...

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    • [–] 33 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    I don't want a device that requires the manufacturer to allow me to use it.

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    • [–] 17 points 10 months ago

    other places: they can, but they won't

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    [–] 12 points 10 months ago (1 child)

    This might be wishful thinking but could this lead to Nintendo and other console manufacturers having to open up their ecosystem and allow third party stores?

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    • [–] 23 points 10 months ago

    ... and it destroyed their company right? Their entire business model broke down and it impacted the security of their customers who complained constantly about the decision. Right?

    Right?

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    [–] 7 points 10 months ago

    So what alternative apps stores are there? Is there any other app store for Android that lets developers charge users for the app? Samsung's Galaxy Store I guess? Anything for iPhone?

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    [–] 6 points 10 months ago (3 children)

    Where can I get a list of such app stores?

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    • [–] 5 points 10 months ago

    So now we know it is possible, it is time to replicate that success worldwide.

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    [–] 5 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    I've never found this to be an issue as a Pixel user who never buys IAPs in Japan (or much of the PlayStore, honestly). But it's cool that I can pick different payment options. Does this mean iPhone users can basically install whatever app they want or do apps still need to be approved by Apple or something?

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    • [–] 2 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    Can I do this in the US if I use a proxy? My guess is no.

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