This app is far worse than other crowd-sourced app for the following reasons:
1. Developers choice to demarcate ‘anti-riot’ police spotted with icon of ‘dog’. Who in a sane mind/without ill-intention will do so?
2. Highly sensitive information such as number of police officers, what kind of gears (eg round shield) they are carrying, etc are being provided at each demarcation spot. Who in the sane mind/without ill-intention will allow such info to be publicly shared.
Honestly, if the real intention of the app developers is to allow people to avoid areas where protests or riots are happening, such sensitive information is unnecessary. It should have been much like any map/navigation app where accidents are just merely demarcated without further details (i.e. traffic police at scene, ambulance at scene, etc).
Anyone with neutral mindset and understanding mandarin looking at the data/info available will clearly see that the app’s real intention is NOT what the app developers say it is.
There is no way for Apple to win on the PR front in this situation. But, I believe they made the right decision finally. For anyone who has seen the vast video footages online, these rioters are simply beating people up even for harmless things such as wearing wrong color clothings (be it being foreigners/tourists), comments that doesn’t support them or not pleasing to their ears.
Businesses are greatly affected and even to the extend that on some days, firms have to declare office closure and ask employees to leave the office swiftly and make their way home safely due to protest heading to the firm’s location/building.
I installed the Androids version and there are no dogs there. There are icons for police. Yes it's not a travel app. But Waze also shows police presence and in this country this isn't illegal. I doubt it's illegal under Hong Kong law but what is legal or not I'd not the only thing that matters anymore is it?
Mr Cook asked and had chosen to believe in a totalitarian government controlled by the Communist Party of China and the Hong Kong Police who put HK into a police state. What is the American value in humanity? What kind of person are you, Mr Cook?
This app is far worse than other crowd-sourced app for the following reasons:
1. Developers choice to demarcate ‘anti-riot’ police spotted with icon of ‘dog’. Who in a sane mind/without ill-intention will do so?
2. Highly sensitive information such as number of police officers, what kind of gears (eg round shield) they are carrying, etc are being provided at each demarcation spot. Who in the sane mind/without ill-intention will allow such info to be publicly shared.
Honestly, if the real intention of the app developers is to allow people to avoid areas where protests or riots are happening, such sensitive information is unnecessary. It should have been much like any map/navigation app where accidents are just merely demarcated without further details (i.e. traffic police at scene, ambulance at scene, etc).
Anyone with neutral mindset and understanding mandarin looking at the data/info available will clearly see that the app’s real intention is NOT what the app developers say it is.
There is no way for Apple to win on the PR front in this situation. But, I believe they made the right decision finally. For anyone who has seen the vast video footages online, these rioters are simply beating people up even for harmless things such as wearing wrong color clothings (be it being foreigners/tourists), comments that doesn’t support them or not pleasing to their ears.
Businesses are greatly affected and even to the extend that on some days, firms have to declare office closure and ask employees to leave the office swiftly and make their way home safely due to protest heading to the firm’s location/building.
The root cause the protests is the youngsters see dim future for themselves. It is not because of democracy or freedom . Or the oppression of Chinese government. It is because of when one country two systems were established in 1997, Hong Kong people are much richer than mainland China. Of course they don't like to be ruled by a much inferior entity. Hong Kong user British rule taught students English not Chinese. Hong Kong people can speak their mother tone Cantonese and English well But not mandarin. Hong Kong educators failed to teach Chinese because of this simple reason. But in the years since, Chinese economy grows by leaps and bounds. As we can witness by Apple's success in China. China created numerous rich people and high paying jobs. Hong Kong economy becomes difficult to grow. Many young people will find difficult to find opportunity in mainland China because they cannot speak Chinese well. This is like any new immigrant to US without speaking English well will not be able to find good jobs well. This is why so many youngsters participate in the protests and asking US and Britain for help. They need to learn Chinese!
'Patrol Car' icon may indicate number of 'EU' where EU is not europe but stands for police vans capable of carrying multiple police officers (not sure the exact number, probably 8 or 10).
Each icon can also include gears that the police officers are carrying, e.g. round shield.
It's mainly lies if the intention is really to allow others to avoid areas of protest/riot. All it needs is to also allow crowd-upload of areas where protest/riot is occurring, including just presence of protesters/rioters while police has not reach the scene. I have not seen such info/demarcation simply because my HK office had to evacuate the employees in the mid of business hours (more than once over the last few months) due to protest coming towards the building.
Apple is going to have to allow apps to be downloaded outside the App Store. There is no possibility that Apple wants to be in the middle of these serious political conflicts.
This where Android has it over iOS (and PadOS).
What will Apple have to do? Perhaps allow different levels of apps. Access from public sites would be limited.
Remember a couple weeks ago when Tim Cook spoke that corporations must be "ethical"
It's the money Lebowski. Capitalism is not evil. Capitalism is not ethical. Capitalism is not humane. Capitalism is about one thing: profits. If the profits come because lives are saved, irrelevant. If profits come because lives and countries were destroyed, irrelevant. Corporations are built to turn a profit, period, end of story.
I can understand why they had to remove the HKmap app, but removing the Taiwan flag for Hong Kong and Macao regions is non-negotiable, and is obviously self-censorship. It's not even illegal to use the TW flag in the two SARs.
But I have publicized it on some Chinese web site.
Nice to know there is some good patriotic Chinese informers like yourself who tell the Chinese government whom else to pressure and blackmail. While you are at it, while you don't you tell your handlers to take a bit easier on those millions of Uyghurs they locked up in concentration camps (sorry - education camps). Some of those stupid Westerners have started to notice.
Just a guess - Google probably doesn't care as much about China since they essentially left in 2009 and don't have much activity left there. Unlike Apple.
Don't challenge me. I am very knowledgeable about every thing. For example, can you tell me why US still jail thousands of muslims in Cuba base?
I said in another thread that this is a 'damned if you do and damned if you don't' case.
Given what has been made public on the reasoning applied to this case, I'm sure most people will be able to understand the decision even if they don't share it.
Most people will understand, yet realize that Apple chose the money. Which is completely understandable as they are a public company with fiduciary responsibilities. However, Apple lost some of its shine today and the next time Tim has something to speak out on there will be less people listening.
I wonder why this developer don't write this app for Androids. I like to see how Google responds.
Oh, geez, did you even bother to look before posting? I think not. HKMapsLive is available on Google Play. Has been and still is. Anything else you're wondering about but can't be bothered to look?
Apple is going to have to allow apps to be downloaded outside the App Store. There is no possibility that Apple wants to be in the middle of these serious political conflicts.
This where Android has it over iOS (and PadOS).
What will Apple have to do? Perhaps allow different levels of apps. Access from public sites would be limited.
There are “web apps” and they don’t require an App Store to run, however access to areas of the web we take for granted may not be accessible in China and I’m sure less and less access is being imposed on Hong Kongers also.
But I have publicized it on some Chinese web site.
Nice to know there is some good patriotic Chinese informers like yourself who tell the Chinese government whom else to pressure and blackmail. While you are at it, while you don't you tell your handlers to take a bit easier on those millions of Uyghurs they locked up in concentration camps (sorry - education camps). Some of those stupid Westerners have started to notice.
Just a guess - Google probably doesn't care as much about China since they essentially left in 2009 and don't have much activity left there. Unlike Apple.
Don't challenge me. I am very knowledgeable about every thing. For example, can you tell me why US still jail thousands of muslims in Cuba base?
I just LOL at how people think they have all the credible information just because they're reading the sources that they chose.
Really, there are a lot more to what you read on the internet. And I know how some violence is inflicted on the innocent because... the INTERNET!
Simple explanation. The western media will never report positive news for China. This will be like slapping their faces after demonizing China for decades and more.
Okay, give me five positive news stories for China that you think are being ignored by the western media.
My wife and I have lawyer friends in HK, and they are staying clear of any potential client connected with the protest violence. Not saying this is right. They are just scared. It is shocking how bad the situation has become in a truly unique city that fuses eastern and western culture so well.
The protestors have been targeting local businesses that they believe support the HK government. The destruction and violence caused by the protesters is an invitation to mainland China to act, and not in a good way.
Apple’s HK stores may be at risk now. Security should be increased immediately.
Well, since we don’t know who you are, your wife, or your lawyer friends, I smell a rat. Cite one piece of evidence (and there is independent media in Hong Kong) to back your statement.
This is simply a case of cool caving to Chinese pressure. He wants to keep selling, so he does what they tell him. It’s the same with blizzard.
We don’t need candy coating. It is what it is. And it’s still wrong. Too much censorship. Apple has been heavy handed in this.
If a group of Christians Iranians put together an app to monitor the whereabouts of Islamic police so they can stay alive and not be persecuted, is Apple going to ban that too? It’s a slippery slope. All it takes is the government to make up a story about the app users attacking the “police?” There needs to be a way for people to have the apps they want and bypass apples idea of what belongs. I’m not saying Apple host it. But there should be a secondary protocol for web apps or something that satisfies apples security standard while absolving them of political blame while enabling the user to do what they need to do. Shouldn’t have to jailbreak to do so.
Apples all about human rights and protecting the individual... sticking it to “the man”... until a big money market comes into play.. obvious human rights violations be dangnabbited.
Which reminds me how thankful I am that at least currently, we have much freedom in the USA. Let’s all hope that stays or even gets better. Small government for a great people. It’s when government thinks they need to run your lives, health, morals, religion, and pocketbook that you end up like China or Iran.
My wife and I have lawyer friends in HK, and they are staying clear of any potential client connected with the protest violence. Not saying this is right. They are just scared. It is shocking how bad the situation has become in a truly unique city that fuses eastern and western culture so well.
The protestors have been targeting local businesses that they believe support the HK government. The destruction and violence caused by the protesters is an invitation to mainland China to act, and not in a good way.
Apple’s HK stores may be at risk now. Security should be increased immediately.
Well, since we don’t know who you are, your wife, or your lawyer friends, I smell a rat. Cite one piece of evidence (and there is independent media in Hong Kong) to back your statement.
I’m baffled by what it is you are try to say. What evidence for what act are you wanting?
The NYT Daily podcast had an interview with some of the protesters who said that they were in fact targeting local businesses they suspected might be supporting the HK government and, by extension, the mainland government. Those businesses have been vandalized and the protestors openly admitted doing so.
If Apple is seen as being a supplicant to mainland China it is entirely possible that HK Apple stores could become targets of the protestors.
Comments
Maybe you should install it before commenting.
- 'Dog' icon demarcates Anti-Riot police.
- 'Patrol Car' icon may indicate number of 'EU' where EU is not europe but stands for police vans capable of carrying multiple police officers (not sure the exact number, probably 8 or 10).
- Each icon can also include gears that the police officers are carrying, e.g. round shield.
It's mainly lies if the intention is really to allow others to avoid areas of protest/riot. All it needs is to also allow crowd-upload of areas where protest/riot is occurring, including just presence of protesters/rioters while police has not reach the scene. I have not seen such info/demarcation simply because my HK office had to evacuate the employees in the mid of business hours (more than once over the last few months) due to protest coming towards the building.Outright calling police car as 'dog' car?
This where Android has it over iOS (and PadOS).
What will Apple have to do? Perhaps allow different levels of apps. Access from public sites would be limited.
It's the money Lebowski. Capitalism is not evil. Capitalism is not ethical. Capitalism is not humane. Capitalism is about one thing: profits. If the profits come because lives are saved, irrelevant. If profits come because lives and countries were destroyed, irrelevant.
Corporations are built to turn a profit, period, end of story.
https://www.quora.com/How-does-Google-Play-in-China-function
I’m baffled by what it is you are try to say. What evidence for what act are you wanting?
The NYT Daily podcast had an interview with some of the protesters who said that they were in fact targeting local businesses they suspected might be supporting the HK government and, by extension, the mainland government. Those businesses have been vandalized and the protestors openly admitted doing so.
If Apple is seen as being a supplicant to mainland China it is entirely possible that HK Apple stores could become targets of the protestors.