At this point, we don't know what the legality of bit-coins is. Apple is totally within its right to pull it and wait for the congress to clarify this.
Even I don't know what the heck is going on with it and rather not deal with it until governments around the world confirms the legality as well as the regulations.
I'm thinking the same thing. Here have been a handful of stories about money laundering via trading for bit coins, the whole Silk Road thing etc. Apple wouldn't want to have something illegal associated with iOS
It's amazing and terrifying how people on this web site will defend Apple no matter what. This is simple anti-competitive behavior.
How can you say that with a straight face? Unless you don't understand what anti-competitive behavior involves. If Microsoft ban a certain software from running in Windows, that's anti-competitive. Even if the banned software doesn't compete against any MS software. That's because MS Windows is on over 90% of the World computers. This would mean that you are shut out from 90% of your market by not being able to put your software on MS Windows. Apple App Store on the other hand is on less than 20% of the World smartphones and less than 50% of the World tablets . If we are to believe Google stats, Android app store is on over 80% on the World smartphones and over 50% of the World tablets. So by not having an app in Apple App Store, you are only shut out from a small percentage of your market. And it gets even smaller if you're not too lazy to write a web site so that it can be run on a computer browser or mobile browser. So it would not be anti-competitive of Apple to ban an app. Even if the app competes with something Apple has. Now if Google shut you off from their Android app store, then maybe you have a case. But still, a very slim one at that.
It's amazing and terrifying how people on this web site will defend Apple no matter what. This is simple anti-competitive behavior.
Don't be naive. That means they would have to ban US currency too. Also, virtually every other currency in existence. Also PayPal.
Don't you people get that, by allowing Apple (or Google) to ban/approve apps and content, you no longer have control over your own personal lives.
Wow. I mean, I like my Apple stuff but they don't have nearly enough control over my life that I have ceded it to them by a long shot. Who would rely on living via Apple so completely that every time Apple makes a left turn they feel like they've been left out in the desert? If you've been ordering cat food via some company's IOS app and they don't continue updating it through the next OS are you going to jump off a bridge because instead of going dit dit dit on your iPhone you'll have to call in the order?
It's a big world out there. Go for a walk. Talk to some friends. Take a drive. Leave your iPad home. That might be all the exercising of control you need.
Hey! Don't lump us Math Nerds in with all those creepy, smelly hippy anarchists.
Heh. Bitcoins was created by some hacker with a math background. Bitcoin miners also have to solve certain math problems.
It's a weird, anti-establishment play money favored by nerdy underground drug buyers. I know it's not illegal. But it's not universally recognized as legal tender for all debts either.
What I was commenting on was this bullshit "Apple is against innovation" meme that techno-anarchists keep circulating. It's getting old. And these Blockchain guys are leaping to conclusions.
It's amazing and terrifying how people on this web site will defend Apple no matter what. This is simple anti-competitive behavior.
It's amazing and terrifying how people on this web site will assume anticompetitive behavior without hard evidence. Rumors don't count. And Apple did not say why they pulled this app. You are just filling the void with your anti-Apple fantasies. Give it a rest.
Even as an Apple fan I can see the potential for misuse of the Apple store. It allows Apple to control competition to its markets and has the ability to nullify potential innovation that could threaten its R&D.
There does need to be strict legislation in place to monitor their activities! Are they doing anything wrong? Who knows but those legislative bodies should be watching.
However I have no confidence in any US authority as their protectionism of US trade is "naked" As shown by Obama's administration refusing to action a ban on certain Apple products as requested by the World Patent organisation.
As I say I'm an Apple fan (iMac, IPad, iPad Mini, iPhone5s, and Apple TV, but that does not stop me asking questions that some of the disciples on this page ignore, by sticking their fingers in their ears, closing their eyes and shouting "I can't hear you".
Taking a trip through the replies I'm struck by Apples cult following. Although British I spent time at Disney University and was struck by the Mormon type cult within the Organisation. Even as an Apple fan I can see the potential for misuse of the Apple store. It allows Apple to control competition to its markets and has the ability to nullify potential innovation that could threaten its R&D.
There does need to be strict legislation in place to monitor their activities! Are they doing anything wrong? Who knows but those legislative bodies should be watching.
However I have no confidence in any US authority as their protectionism of US trade is "naked" As shown by Obama's administration refusing to action a ban on certain Apple products as requested by the World Patent organisation.
As I say I'm an Apple fan (iMac, IPad, iPad Mini, iPhone5s, and Apple TV, but that does not stop me asking questions that some of the disciples on this page ignore, by sticking their fingers in their ears, closing their eyes and shouting "I can't hear you".
It is obvious you did not accept the sound reasoning that bit coins are not recognized as legal currency. In your view it is okay for Apple to promote illegal activities just so a few people can consider Apple to be innovative. The last thing (until the next last thing comes along) Apple needs is to be sued by the United States or any other country for not adhering to currency laws.
Heh. Bitcoins was created by some hacker with a math background. Bitcoin miners also have to solve certain math problems.
It's a weird, anti-establishment play money favored by nerdy underground drug buyers. I know it's not illegal. But it's not universally recognized as legal tender for all debts either.
What I was commenting on was this bullshit "Apple is against innovation" meme that techno-anarchists keep circulating. It's getting old. And these Blockchain guys are leaping to conclusions.
I agree with your sentiments. And to say Apple is against innovation is just wrong on the face of it. If not for Apple shaking up the tech world over the last 10 years I'm quite certain tech would be a few years (at least) behind it's current point.
You're not entitled to have anything you want on your smartphones, just as you're not entitled to play Xbox Games on Playstation consoles.
Nobody is "entitled" to have anything they want on their smartphones. However, the complaints about a locked down app store are understandable if one thinks of smartphones more as handheld personal computers rather than limited-function appliances like the Playstation. The concept of having a third party control what code you are allowed to execute on your computer is foreign to the world of personal computing. All of the major platforms, such as the BSDs, Linux, OS X, and windows, have enabled users to program their own machines. With a basic knowledge of programming, users could write and execute their own code on their computers using freely available tools and official APIs. If you were dissatisfied with a piece of software or wanted some software that was not published for your platform, there was nothing stopping you from rolling up your sleeves, writing, and running your own implementation. Thus, if one regards smartphones as computers, then iOS is practically the only platform where a third party has the final say over what instructions the user can load on his computer.
I'm fine with Apple banning what is essentially a drug money laundering mechanism.
Don't be naive. That means they would have to ban US currency too. Also, virtually every other currency in existence. Also PayPal.
No because the transactions are tracked. Bitcoin to bitcoin transactions are anonymous. If someone was to launder $1m of stolen cash, they could give $1000 to 1000 people to put into some kind of account and then send it back to the original person. It's pointless to do this at a bank because the bank accounts aren't anonymous. If they do it via Paypal, it's more anonymous but the transactions can only be withdrawn to a bank and Paypal tracks everything in between:
"We will also require other commercial and/or identification information if you send or receive certain high-value transactions or high overall payment volumes through the PayPal Services or as is otherwise required in order for us to comply with our anti-money laundering obligations under European law."
With bitcoins, 1000 people can take cash to buy either bitcoins directly or some online voucher that they use to buy bitcoins and then trade those bitcoin wallets anonymously and send them through tumblers to merge them. The recipient can then cash out the bitcoins at another exchange for clean money. There's no way to trace the bitcoin transactions as they are verified peer-to-peer. It may be possible to catch some of the 1000 people using stolen cash but the amounts are small.
but that's life. There are restrictions everywhere. It sucks that you can't walk down to the local park and flash yourself at hot women without someone coming to arrest you. I mean, how will they ever know how hot my naked body looks? But the restrictions are there for a reason. If Apple allowed any app to run on their device then it opens their customers up to security problems just like you get on the Mac. It's more quality control than control.
Also, you aren't totally restricted from running your own software. If you get a developer certificate, you can install whatever you want. It's $99/year (I'd prefer it was free but there will be costs in support resources and it is also a form of quality control). If the bitcoin crowd all signed up and they released the bitcoin app as open source, they can install the app no problem. They might even be able to setup a server like for corporations and they can deploy the software to users that way:
They can also setup a server for hosting wallets, people can setup their own server for privacy and an app can remotely interface with the wallet. Or it may be possible to use a webapp.
The objection here is more about politics than functionality. It's the fact that Apple is taking issue with bitcoin apps, not that there's a lack of alternative ways to setup the apps. I think people just want to know why and I very much doubt Apple wants to put it in writing. This allows people to fill in the blanks.
I'm curious, but what's to stop someone from creating another currency like itcoin, icoin, or idiotcoin? Bitcoin seems like the classic pump and dump scam. When less than 1000 people own half the coins in existence it seems like a scam and it's probably Apple's intention not to promote or otherwise lend credibility to a scam.
As an Englishman, I'm embarrassed by people like pete borota. The strength of anti-Apple sentiment in England is one of the worst traits of my nationality.
Comments
Bitcoins have been banned in several nations as not a currency. May be Apple is trying to avoid troubles?
I'm thinking the same thing. Here have been a handful of stories about money laundering via trading for bit coins, the whole Silk Road thing etc. Apple wouldn't want to have something illegal associated with iOS
It's amazing and terrifying how people on this web site will defend Apple no matter what. This is simple anti-competitive behavior.
How can you say that with a straight face? Unless you don't understand what anti-competitive behavior involves. If Microsoft ban a certain software from running in Windows, that's anti-competitive. Even if the banned software doesn't compete against any MS software. That's because MS Windows is on over 90% of the World computers. This would mean that you are shut out from 90% of your market by not being able to put your software on MS Windows. Apple App Store on the other hand is on less than 20% of the World smartphones and less than 50% of the World tablets . If we are to believe Google stats, Android app store is on over 80% on the World smartphones and over 50% of the World tablets. So by not having an app in Apple App Store, you are only shut out from a small percentage of your market. And it gets even smaller if you're not too lazy to write a web site so that it can be run on a computer browser or mobile browser. So it would not be anti-competitive of Apple to ban an app. Even if the app competes with something Apple has. Now if Google shut you off from their Android app store, then maybe you have a case. But still, a very slim one at that.
It's amazing and terrifying how people on this web site will defend Apple no matter what. This is simple anti-competitive behavior.
Don't be naive. That means they would have to ban US currency too. Also, virtually every other currency in existence. Also PayPal.
Don't you people get that, by allowing Apple (or Google) to ban/approve apps and content, you no longer have control over your own personal lives.
Wow. I mean, I like my Apple stuff but they don't have nearly enough control over my life that I have ceded it to them by a long shot. Who would rely on living via Apple so completely that every time Apple makes a left turn they feel like they've been left out in the desert? If you've been ordering cat food via some company's IOS app and they don't continue updating it through the next OS are you going to jump off a bridge because instead of going dit dit dit on your iPhone you'll have to call in the order?
It's a big world out there. Go for a walk. Talk to some friends. Take a drive. Leave your iPad home. That might be all the exercising of control you need.
Heh. Bitcoins was created by some hacker with a math background. Bitcoin miners also have to solve certain math problems.
It's a weird, anti-establishment play money favored by nerdy underground drug buyers. I know it's not illegal. But it's not universally recognized as legal tender for all debts either.
What I was commenting on was this bullshit "Apple is against innovation" meme that techno-anarchists keep circulating. It's getting old. And these Blockchain guys are leaping to conclusions.
It's amazing and terrifying how people on this web site will assume anticompetitive behavior without hard evidence. Rumors don't count. And Apple did not say why they pulled this app. You are just filling the void with your anti-Apple fantasies. Give it a rest.
There does need to be strict legislation in place to monitor their activities! Are they doing anything wrong? Who knows but those legislative bodies should be watching.
However I have no confidence in any US authority as their protectionism of US trade is "naked" As shown by Obama's administration refusing to action a ban on certain Apple products as requested by the World Patent organisation.
As I say I'm an Apple fan (iMac, IPad, iPad Mini, iPhone5s, and Apple TV, but that does not stop me asking questions that some of the disciples on this page ignore, by sticking their fingers in their ears, closing their eyes and shouting "I can't hear you".
It is obvious you did not accept the sound reasoning that bit coins are not recognized as legal currency. In your view it is okay for Apple to promote illegal activities just so a few people can consider Apple to be innovative. The last thing (until the next last thing comes along) Apple needs is to be sued by the United States or any other country for not adhering to currency laws.
Heh. Bitcoins was created by some hacker with a math background. Bitcoin miners also have to solve certain math problems.
It's a weird, anti-establishment play money favored by nerdy underground drug buyers. I know it's not illegal. But it's not universally recognized as legal tender for all debts either.
What I was commenting on was this bullshit "Apple is against innovation" meme that techno-anarchists keep circulating. It's getting old. And these Blockchain guys are leaping to conclusions.
I agree with your sentiments. And to say Apple is against innovation is just wrong on the face of it. If not for Apple shaking up the tech world over the last 10 years I'm quite certain tech would be a few years (at least) behind it's current point.
No. Go back to Britain.
We do. They’re not.
Go away.
So why did you post it in the first place?
You're not entitled to have anything you want on your smartphones, just as you're not entitled to play Xbox Games on Playstation consoles.
Nobody is "entitled" to have anything they want on their smartphones. However, the complaints about a locked down app store are understandable if one thinks of smartphones more as handheld personal computers rather than limited-function appliances like the Playstation. The concept of having a third party control what code you are allowed to execute on your computer is foreign to the world of personal computing. All of the major platforms, such as the BSDs, Linux, OS X, and windows, have enabled users to program their own machines. With a basic knowledge of programming, users could write and execute their own code on their computers using freely available tools and official APIs. If you were dissatisfied with a piece of software or wanted some software that was not published for your platform, there was nothing stopping you from rolling up your sleeves, writing, and running your own implementation. Thus, if one regards smartphones as computers, then iOS is practically the only platform where a third party has the final say over what instructions the user can load on his computer.
No because the transactions are tracked. Bitcoin to bitcoin transactions are anonymous. If someone was to launder $1m of stolen cash, they could give $1000 to 1000 people to put into some kind of account and then send it back to the original person. It's pointless to do this at a bank because the bank accounts aren't anonymous. If they do it via Paypal, it's more anonymous but the transactions can only be withdrawn to a bank and Paypal tracks everything in between:
https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full
"We will also require other commercial and/or identification information if you send or receive certain high-value transactions or high overall payment volumes through the PayPal Services or as is otherwise required in order for us to comply with our anti-money laundering obligations under European law."
With bitcoins, 1000 people can take cash to buy either bitcoins directly or some online voucher that they use to buy bitcoins and then trade those bitcoin wallets anonymously and send them through tumblers to merge them. The recipient can then cash out the bitcoins at another exchange for clean money. There's no way to trace the bitcoin transactions as they are verified peer-to-peer. It may be possible to catch some of the 1000 people using stolen cash but the amounts are small.
It really sucks sometimes to not be able to get the content you want:
http://hothardware.com/News/Oh-Snap-Google-Bans-Porn-From-Chromecast/
but that's life. There are restrictions everywhere. It sucks that you can't walk down to the local park and flash yourself at hot women without someone coming to arrest you. I mean, how will they ever know how hot my naked body looks? But the restrictions are there for a reason. If Apple allowed any app to run on their device then it opens their customers up to security problems just like you get on the Mac. It's more quality control than control.
Also, you aren't totally restricted from running your own software. If you get a developer certificate, you can install whatever you want. It's $99/year (I'd prefer it was free but there will be costs in support resources and it is also a form of quality control). If the bitcoin crowd all signed up and they released the bitcoin app as open source, they can install the app no problem. They might even be able to setup a server like for corporations and they can deploy the software to users that way:
http://www.apple.com/business/accelerator/deploy/app-distribution.html
They can also setup a server for hosting wallets, people can setup their own server for privacy and an app can remotely interface with the wallet. Or it may be possible to use a webapp.
The objection here is more about politics than functionality. It's the fact that Apple is taking issue with bitcoin apps, not that there's a lack of alternative ways to setup the apps. I think people just want to know why and I very much doubt Apple wants to put it in writing. This allows people to fill in the blanks.
I'm curious, but what's to stop someone from creating another currency like itcoin, icoin, or idiotcoin? Bitcoin seems like the classic pump and dump scam. When less than 1000 people own half the coins in existence it seems like a scam and it's probably Apple's intention not to promote or otherwise lend credibility to a scam.
As an Englishman, I'm embarrassed by people like pete borota. The strength of anti-Apple sentiment in England is one of the worst traits of my nationality.