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Apple declined to implement 16 Web APIs in Safari due to privacy concerns

(www.zdnet.com)
428 points coronadisaster | 1 comments | 29 Jun 20 10:16 UTC | HN request time: 0.206s | source
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thayne ◴[29 Jun 20 18:40 UTC] No.23680835[source]▶
There may be some legitimate fingerprinting concenrs. But given the list of API's it's hard not to see this as Apple crippling PWAs to prevent them from replacing native iOS apps (and hurting Apple's revenue from the Apple tax).

And maybe I'm missing something, but wouldn't the fingerprinting concern be mitigated by the fact the app has to ask for permission before using the API? If an app that doesn't have to do with MIDI asks for permission to use my MIDI device, I'm going to be instantly suspicious.

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tuxone ◴[29 Jun 20 19:41 UTC] No.23681685[source]▶
Are you all serious about this ask for permission thing? Good luck explaining MIDI, HID, NFC and so on to the average Joe, in a small popup. We already have enough “I agree” buttons popping over the screen. Web should be built for everybody, it’s not the nineties anymore.
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1. MatekCopatek ◴[29 Jun 20 21:49 UTC] No.23683612[source]▶
Sure, but Apple could solve that by requiring a user action to show that popup dialog. Or they could even block everything by default and force you to give permissions manually. That way average Joe is blisfully unaware of anything and completely safe while you just have to suffer a minor inconvenience of whitelisting that one legit website the first time you use it.