tdsmac

[quote]"First of all, we're not asking for a backdoor, nor are we asking anyone to turn anything on to spy on anyone," Lynch said. "We're asking them to do is do what their customer wants. The real owner of the phone is the county, [/quote]

So let's break down this paragraph in reverse. Yes it's true that the county is the owner and they are asking Apple to do what they want. But, just like any other customer, Apple can't retrieve your login credentials. You loose them then you need to start over. This is no different then any encrypted software like 1password or File Vault.  If you loose the key the data can't be retrieved period. 

Lynch is correct that in that they have not asked to turn on anything to spy on anyone. But that is not to say that once the first hurdle is crossed, by writing iOS software to bypass security features that it would be easier to then require a software vendor to take that next step. 

As far as the first sentence, Lynch is correct but only with semantics.  With everything discussed it's disingenuous to state this position. In order to comply with the last sentence, one must write software which creates a back door. She is also ignoring the testimony Comey who even stayed on the record that there are over a hundred other phones, where law enforcement wants access, and can use this as a precedent.  

Total sham. 

People are also overlooking the fact that The App Store also markets the apps. This is part of the cost of sales as well. So the 30% Spotify pays goes to marketing, credit card processing, hosting, etc. I'm willing to bet the paid apps help subsidize in small portion the "free" apps in terms of hosting and marketing. Spotify glosses over the fact that many people download the app by seeing it on the App Store either by visiting music apps, top downloaded apps, etc. Spotify would have none of that exposure if not for the IOS and App Store. The price drops in subsequent years to 15% most likely is due to upfront costs, like marketing, which don't apply to an app that has been purchased.  

If if all users if Spotify were downloading based on Spotify marketing, then Spotify could easily state for them to signup on their site. I'm also willing to bet the reason why they are bitching about Apple is that those happen to be the paying customers. Where as, my guess is 80%+ on android are on the free version. 

k2kw said:

This keynote lead me to believe that getting the Echo is better for Home automation control.   Expected more after DED's article last week on WWDC and Siri.   kinda disappointed.   things seemed evolutionary not revolutionary.    SIRI understands me only 1/3 the time-same old frustration on macOS as on the phone. huh.

I think you need to wait and see. Apple never gives all the details of the software at WWDC. Usually, at the time of new hardware and that Keynote, Apple shows off more of the capabilities of the devices. You have to look at all of the announcements made in regard to Siri from all the OS platforms during the keynote to piece some pieces together. First, when discussing Siri on macOS, you are now able to ask Siri followup questions to the previous query. This could be a significant advancement alone in Siri functionality. Siri is now open to developers and 3rd party apps, so Siri functionality will also grow exponentially. The last part was the mention of "differential privacy". Other platforms have advanced due to the collecting of usage data off the device in regard to queries, speech recognition, pattern recognition, etc. All of that was of course at a cost of privacy. Apple enabled differential privacy to send more usage data off of devices to its servers for analysis without knowing who that particular data is tied to. This will also aid advancement of Siri and other areas. 

You have to remember that this software will not be avail until the Fall (as well as any new hardware) . So Apple doesn't want to tip their hat into all of its capabilities now or what may be developed or added by its release. That would give time for the competition to alter, create or announce something prior to the release of the new OS's and hardware. Wait to the keynote in the fall and then make decisions. 

rogifan_new said:

Apple needs to be careful here. Apple Music isn't even something you have to seek out on the App Store and download. They just updated the native music app that's pre-installed on every phone. Look what happened with Microsoft and IE. And the DOJ already has contempt for Apple. Last thing Apple needs is a whole can of worms opened up about only being able to install software from the App Store. 

Huge difference. Microsoft had a monopoly. A monopoly is not on a particular platform but on all devices. Microsoft only sold software and not the hardware that the software was put on. So they weren't also selling their own "platform". The WinTel alliance put Windows on every manufacturers desktop hardware. Thus, leading to a monopoly in the market. 

Apple makes the hardware and is controlled by its own software. Unless either Apple's hardware takes over 90% of the market or Apple starts selling its iOS to other manufacturers hardware,  leading to a monopoly of the device market then nothing they are doing is Illegal. 

derrickdoingit said:

I keep hearing the mall reference as an example of how Apple is right

First of all, if the app store is a mall, and they gave spotify space in their mall and charged them 30% of sales, that's fine.

If the app store is a mall, and they set up a completely similar store that sells almost exactly the same merchandise (Apple Music) right next to the Spotify store, but charged it 0% of sales (Since it owns it), then that's wrong. It gives the Apple Music store unfair advantage in pricing, as it can pass on the 30% savings onto consumers, and gain unfair market advantage.

Your example happens all the time. As a matter of fact, Apple tends to strike those very deals, since their retail stores happen to create a huge draw of foot traffic. Thus leading to additional sales and revenue for other stores in the mall.