Apple finally conceding?

[plot_almighty]

Disclaimer: I'm not an alarmist and this post is not intended to be alarming.

I don't mean to start an argument here, but does anyone else sort of see Apple finally conceding to Android-esque philosophies? Bigger screen sizes, more open access to core OS APIs, widgets, and a stronger look at hardware specs? How many widgets are going to request access to the motion co-processor? How many keyboards?

How many permissions are apps going to start "needing"? Is there going to be a stronger push by consumers to have developers list the permissions their apps need access to?

I know Apple historically has strong security when it comes to iOS, but branding aside, these kind of thoughts are part of the reason I avoid Android.

I accept I may be uninformed, but I've been having a hard time finding information that deals with these questions. If this has already been discussed, please feel free to link me.

 

[taz323]

Nope,

 

[bobbob1016]

Disclaimer: I'm not an alarmist and this post is not intended to be alarming.

I don't mean to start an argument here, but does anyone else sort of see Apple finally conceding to Android-esque philosophies? Bigger screen sizes, more open access to core OS APIs, widgets, and a stronger look at hardware specs? How many widgets are going to request access to the motion co-processor? How many keyboards?

How many permissions are apps going to start "needing"? Is there going to be a stronger push by consumers to have developers list the permissions their apps need access to?

I know Apple historically has strong security when it comes to iOS, but branding aside, these kind of thoughts are part of the reason I avoid Android.

I accept I may be uninformed, but I've been having a hard time finding information that deals with these questions. If this has already been discussed, please feel free to link me.

I don't think those are "Android" philosophies. I think they're more Woz than they are Jobs.

Screen sizes aren't owned by Android, just that there are more devices, so they iterate quicker. We're on the 7/8th? iPhone, and the 50+th Androids. When you release a phone a year, it doesn't give you much to work with. Bigger phones happened the two years. Jobs realized this, as he had a hand in the 5/5c/5s, which have bigger screens. Jobs also kept iron control of his company. Even down to their buses as I've heard. That meant if he didn't yet see a need for bigger than the 5, Apple has had a year to go from the 4 inch screen to whatever they *may* be releasing soon.

Back to my Woz vs Jobs thing. Wozniack is a hacker in the strictest sense. He just enjoys messing with things, and tinkering. That's how he made his first computer. Jobs was great at that too, but better with the marketing, and liked keeping control of things. Software wise, I think Apple is going more free software wise, allowing other browsers, allowing the Pebble to read texts (I think it does that anyways), and so on.

They are however, going miles away from that with hardware repair. I understand not being able to cover modified hardware in warranty. What escapes me is I have a Macbook Air in the HDD recall. I noticed the issue before they announced the recall, so I figured I'd just buy an HDD and put it in myself, as I'm not going to pay $350 for someone to undo a few screws on the chance that Apple will issue a recall for my HDD. I got a 128gig HDD for the same price I would've paid for a replacement 60gig. I know I voided the warranty opening it, but as they admitted the fault, I should get *something* back. It's an anti-opening fix it yourself position imho, and not green to have someone either drive to a store, or ship it somewhere. So that is very un-Woz.

 

[AAA1337]

I really don't think it's "conceding". It's more feature parity. Both Apple and Android started with very different philosophies. Apple's always been experience and security first, and features only once they can be implemented in the simplest and most secure way possible. Android's always focused on features more.

So far both have focused entirely on their priorities. Now that Apple has an incredibly stable OS, it's focusing on getting in more and more features, and adding openness without compromising security.

Android is doing the same thing. It's trying to add several more security features (like App Ops, which failed, but was an attempt nonetheless) and trying to make a better design and the like.

Neither side is conceding. They're just trying to lessen the reasons for their customers to prefer the other side.

 

[bobbob1016]

...like App Ops, which failed, but was an attempt nonetheless...

Not to threadjack, but it didn't "fail", it was never supposed to see the light of day. It was an internal thing that they released by mistake. It's added back easily with root, but just thought to point out that it didn't fail, it isn't something they wanted to be released. Which is why I root, and as Apple doesn't have really similar things, I always Jailbreak and install ProtectMyPrivacy.

 

[AAA1337]

Not to threadjack, but it didn't "fail", it was never supposed to see the light of day. It was an internal thing that they released by mistake. It's added back easily with root, but just thought to point out that it didn't fail, it isn't something they wanted to be released. Which is why I root, and as Apple doesn't have really similar things, I always Jailbreak and install ProtectMyPrivacy.

I had heard App Ops was actually supposed to be released to public, but apps started crashing if they didn't receive permissions, so they abandoned it.

Also, pmp looks pretty cool because of the spoofed info thingy, but stock ios can already block contacts and location services, right? The only unique thing about pmp is UDID spoofing.

 

[bobbob1016]

I had heard App Ops was actually supposed to be released to public, but apps started crashing if they didn't receive permissions, so they abandoned it.

Also, pmp looks pretty cool because of the spoofed info thingy, but stock ios can already block contacts and location services, right? The only unique thing about pmp is UDID spoofing.

Wasn't supposed to be official.

Right, I might say for me it's like a security blanket at this point. It was released before Apple prompted for contacts access and so on, and I don't 100% trust that I get prompted every time. In Settings, I can only see when I've denied Location access, not Contacts, or anything else (apart from the Mic). So likely not *needed* but still something I keep there so I have the assurance it's being denied.

 

[Flow39]

I don't think that they are conceding anything, but are just doing what Apple does. Sure, they are adding bigger screen sizes, but that is based on market demand, not something Apple is "copying" from Android phone manufacturers. Same thing goes with the other features.

Another thing I might add is that Apple tends to not add brand new technologies with little purpose (such as NFC) until they are ready. They held out on using 4G radios until the iPhone 5 because the radios were too power hungry and were not efficient enough to be considered worth using in Apple's eyes.

 

[Ledsteplin]

No, of course not. There's not much I can add. Apple does like to wait until they've got it right. They don't rush into anything. That's being competent and thorough, not conceding.


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5

 

[Tre Lawrence]

I really don't think it's "conceding". It's more feature parity. Both Apple and Android started with very different philosophies. Apple's always been experience and security first, and features only once they can be implemented in the simplest and most secure way possible. Android's always focused on features more.

So far both have focused entirely on their priorities. Now that Apple has an incredibly stable OS, it's focusing on getting in more and more features, and adding openness without compromising security.

Android is doing the same thing. It's trying to add several more security features (like App Ops, which failed, but was an attempt nonetheless) and trying to make a better design and the like.

Neither side is conceding. They're just trying to lessen the reasons for their customers to prefer the other side.

Good stuff.

Apple, IMHO, is great at adjusting. No shame in that.

 

[AAA1337]

I don't think that they are conceding anything, but are just doing what Apple does. Sure, they are adding bigger screen sizes, but that is based on market demand, not something Apple is "copying" from Android phone manufacturers. Same thing goes with the other features.

Another thing I might add is that Apple tends to not add brand new technologies with little purpose (such as NFC) until they are ready. They held out on using 4G radios until the iPhone 5 because the radios were too power hungry and were not efficient enough to be considered worth using in Apple's eyes.

I'm curious, why do people keep saying NFC is "not ready"? I don't know how the situation is in the US, but in Canada I use my NFC debit card for almost every payment I ever have to make, except if I go to a real remote area, or to a really small shop (although even that's pushing it, most small places also have NFC here). And I would find it really convenient if I never had to walk around with my wallet full of cards anymore.

Is the situation different in the US? Has NFC adoption been slower there, or is there some other reason people say NFC isn't "ready" yet?

 

[Flow39]

I'm curious, why do people keep saying NFC is "not ready"? I don't know how the situation is in the US, but in Canada I use my NFC debit card for almost every payment I ever have to make, except if I go to a real remote area, or to a really small shop (although even that's pushing it, most small places also have NFC here). And I would find it really convenient if I never had to walk around with my wallet full of cards anymore.

Is the situation different in the US? Has NFC adoption been slower there, or is there some other reason people say NFC isn't "ready" yet?

In the US, NFC isn't very big, and that's why I feel like Apple doesn't add it. Hardly anyone, even Android users with NFC capable phones, use it in the US. It just hasn't caught on in the US

 

[AAA1337]

In the US, NFC isn't very big, and that's why I feel like Apple doesn't add it. Hardly anyone, even Android users with NFC capable phones, use it in the US. It just hasn't caught on in the US

Really? I'm actually surprised by that. I had expected that the US would have caught on to this trend faster.

Whatever it is, I sure hope the next iPhone onwards we see NFC. Because I use NFC every day of my life. And I'd kinda like the tap-to-pay to be protected by a passcode and my fingerprints as opposed to being in a card that anyone can use with no verification.

 

[boovish]

We don't even know what the next iPhone looks like

 

[Ledsteplin]

Really? I'm actually surprised by that. I had expected that the US would have caught on to this trend faster.

Whatever it is, I sure hope the next iPhone onwards we see NFC. Because I use NFC every day of my life. And I'd kinda like the tap-to-pay to be protected by a passcode and my fingerprints as opposed to being in a card that anyone can use with no verification.

Many are afraid of new payment methods. I still see people writing paper checks. PayPal is often viewed with suspicion. Many small businesses are just now accepting debit cards. Some don't. It costs small businesses to implement these payment changes. It's no big deal with large companies. But with a saggy economy, most small businesses can't afford new payment system gadgets. NFC will come. But it will be gradual.


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5

 

[garruklol]

Apple is still very different from Android, no worries

 

[shanghaichica]

I think they are conceeding a bit but in their own time frame. They haven't rushed to implement these features.

Posted via my galaxy S5

 

[Ledsteplin]

I'm curious, why do people keep saying NFC is "not ready"? I don't know how the situation is in the US, but in Canada I use my NFC debit card for almost every payment I ever have to make, except if I go to a real remote area, or to a really small shop (although even that's pushing it, most small places also have NFC here). And I would find it really convenient if I never had to walk around with my wallet full of cards anymore.

Is the situation different in the US? Has NFC adoption been slower there, or is there some other reason people say NFC isn't "ready" yet?

Rumor has it the iPhone 6 has an NFC chip on the motherboard. You can check that rumor here:
http://m.imore.com/apple-once-again-reported-be-including-nfc-iphone-6


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5

 

[AAA1337]

Rumor has it the iPhone 6 has an NFC chip on the motherboard. You can check that rumor here:
http://sonnydickson.com/2014/08/30/iphone-6-logic-board-confirms-nfc/


Sent from my ancient but trustworthy iPhone 5

Interesting. I was thinking of holding off on an update until the 6S, but I might just see if I can upgrade to the 6 if the updates are gonna be that massive.