this post was submitted on 16 May 2025

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426

Apple business executives ban Fortnite from iOS. People around the world - including in Europe - say their iPhone is preventing them from playing the videogame. (www.clubic.com)

submitted 5 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

182 comments fedilink hide all child comments

It's happening again!

(page 4) 33 comments

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[–] [email protected] 45 points 5 days ago (2 children)

The DMA should never have allowed Apple any oversight of apps distributed outside their store.

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[–] [email protected] 102 points 5 days ago (12 children)

Keep it up Apple, keep pissing off the gamers. Shrink that monopoly. Seems pretty fucking insane that they can stop an app from working remotely. If an app that is being used to coordinate a rebellion takes off the US government can order Apple to disable its use. I hope the degoogling Android trend takes off further.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago (3 children)

There's also Linux phones

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[–] [email protected] 21 points 5 days ago (3 children)

It's actually Epic's fault this time. They pulled it from the EU app store.

[–] [email protected] 51 points 5 days ago

They pulled all iOS versions because their iOS update couldn't be approved in time (they're live service and need simultaneous updates on all platforms) and "Apple has blocked our Fortnite submission so we cannot release to the US App Store or to the Epic Games Store for iOS in the European Union."

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Epic isn't wrong about Apples payment requirements being BS, but Epic also isn't exactly a hero here.

Will be interesting to see how this pissing match plays out over time.

Should you be able to use other payment providers outside of apple pay YES!

Should you be able to install other APP stores on an iPhone? Not sure.

[–] [email protected] 63 points 5 days ago (9 children)

Why shouldn't you be able to install whatever you want? Maybe I'm missing something..

[–] [email protected] -5 points 5 days ago (7 children)

I am in the camp that there is a benefit to the managed store. Since moving family members to iOS devices the number of times they have loaded malware or asked me for help installing ANYTHING dropped to zero.

Should techies be able to side load if they want? Sure, should that be a primary install method? No.

[–] [email protected] 22 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (3 children)

Nope. No reason that you should pay $1000 for a device and not, at the very least, be able to install compatible software from other sources.

We wouldn't accept this from Microsoft. Could you imagine if this was the norm for DOS or Windows?

Should side loading be discouraged and warned about? Yes. Should it be impossible? Maybe through "parental" controls or MDM, but absolutely not out-of-the-box.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 5 days ago

Monopolies and trusts are never beneficial to anyone save those who control them.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 days ago

I can see benefits of such limitations for say a company-owned devices with cyber-security in mind. When we talk about open market of devices in an increasingly "digital" world I am against limitations with profit in mind. It's like many things in life. When you want to do or use something you have to learn to use it, often by getting burned or otherwise making a mistake. You having to fix family devices has nothing to do with it. Anyway I have no stake in this, I would never buy an Apple device. Companies pushing for "infinite growth" with such policies will be left in the dust imo, but the billionares will just move on after milking everything dry.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 5 days ago

"I frequently interface with idiots, so I don't feel it would be safe for you to have full control over the hardware you own."

[–] [email protected] 38 points 5 days ago (2 children)

All bootloaders should be able to be unlocked and able to install the OS of your choice. Also you should be able to choose whatever app store you want. It is your hardware, you payed for it.

[+] [email protected] -12 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (2 children)

If you want a customizable phone, yes. If you want a secured phone, no.

There are already existing products for both sides. No point in forcing them to do something else at this point.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Apple's software is malware

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Except Google is trying to limit this on Android phones as well (e.g. with SafetyNet).

If manufacturers had their way, there wouldn't be any phones for one side.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

If manufacturers had their way, there wouldn’t be any phones for one side.

There's nothing stopping manufacturers from permanently locking the bootloader. Some do and others don't suggesting that the industry does not have a universal preference.

I do think Google wants it to be inconvenient enough to run a version of Android they haven't blessed as one's main phone that it has no chance to become mainstream, but that's about the prospect of an OEM not bundling Google's apps and store, not hobbyists running custom builds. If that sounds like an attempt to use market power to exclude competitors in violation of fair trading laws in a multitude of jurisdictions, you might be on to something.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago (3 children)

There’s nothing stopping manufacturers from permanently locking the bootloader. Some do and others don’t suggesting that the industry does not have a universal preference.

Some manufacturers have stopped allowing unlocking their bootloaders, some bootloaders have been hacked by the community. It's not like this is a static system.

I do think Google wants it to be inconvenient enough to run a version of Android they haven’t blessed as one’s main phone that it has no chance to become mainstream, but that’s about the prospect of an OEM not bundling Google’s apps and store, not hobbyists running custom builds.

No, Google is also trying to stop hobbyists running custom builds from accessing services built on their software (the aforementioned SafetyNet). Hackers keep finding ways around this, but Google keeps trying to lock them out.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I mean that's something that'd happen regardless of whether you may install other App Stores on an iPhone easily, no?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 days ago (1 children)

GP wrote:

All bootloaders should be able to be unlocked and able to install the OS of your choice. Also you should be able to choose whatever app store you want. It is your hardware, you payed for it.

App stores are just one part of the puzzle. Unless consumers actually have rights, manufacturers will keep trying to limit their options.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

The reason I don't use Android phones in China is because every company uses its own, separate version of what's basically microG (notifications, location...) and update checking, and so my RAM is gone before I know it and everything's super laggy. And on my grandma's Android tablet these desktop-style notifications pop up overwhelmingly because of certain apps that bundle adware. This is what happens when sanctions took away a default option. Customization is no doubt something great for hobbyists and an option that should exist but there is a benefit to having a default monopoly (though, again, there should be an opt-out).

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Sure, but Google is trying to take away that opt-out! So we'll be left with a monopoly and nothing else. That's strictly worse than not having a default monopoly.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago (8 children)

I agree with you, but my point from the start here (which I should've said more clearly) was that this doesn't mean Apple must open up in response (and by default), which would leave us with no good centralized, minimalistic option either.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 days ago (1 children)

ICE has been notified, nice try, domestic terrorist

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 days ago

Good thing i'm Canadian then, lol.

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[–] [email protected] 18 points 5 days ago

Again???

[–] [email protected] 11 points 5 days ago

they big mad they can't tax it?

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