Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store

All I want is a system preference that says ‘allow apps from other sources than the apple App Store.’

And I want that setting to work exactly as you imagine.

And then everything else problematic about this debate would disappear.

I don't think it's that clear-cut. Specifically because this is coming from Epic. I've avoided some of the Assassin's Creed games on PC because I don't want to create a Uplay account, app launcher, or whatever. I'll play them on console and I'll probably buy a disc. I'm bummed about games being "X app store exclusive."

It also muddies things like moving to a new phone, parental controls, iCloud save/syncing, and things like refunds or expired subscriptions.

I'm not saying Apple isn't wrong here. I'm just pessimistic about what Epic is pushing for. It's way more in their interest than mine.

It's going to really suck when a normal office computer will need an OS, an "Adobe store" app (just for Photoshop), a "Microsoft store" app (just for Office), and a separate store app/account for any company big enough to push it on their users.

Being able to get root access to your phone just like you do with a normal computer would also be nice.

We are increasingly losing the right to actually control our devices as time goes on, and it scares me. Especially since you can't really DIY this kind of hardware to remove these protections.

It makes me sad to think there's a pretty a good chance of this lawsuit going Apple's way. Even more sad is the fact that many actually support these ever-increasing walled gardens.

If that system preference ever gets added I want Apple to continue selling a version of iPhone that doesn't have it, with no way to enable it and with a promise to never add it in a future update. I consider not being able to sideload software onto an iPhone to be an important feature! I like knowing that if someone malicious with moderate but not extraordinary technical ability gets ahold of my unlocked phone they are limited in their ability to compromise it in a way that persists through a restart. I.e. what any border guard can demand on entering any country I can think of. If I used an Android phone I would destroy it if it left my sight unlocked and I didn't know what had happened while it was away.

I have root access to plenty of hardware devices. I don't need root access to every hardware device I own. What am I going to do with that capability on an iPhone, sideload Fortnite? No thanks, this is the device I use to check my email.

Good point, but maybe that setting could just require reauthentication?

I imagine it working poorly.

No dad, not the App Store. The Epic store. It’s an app that you get in the App Store. Download that. Then log on with the Epic account—-no, not that password, the one you use for Epic. Huh. It could be your other credit card? Yeah then you search for Fortnite. Backed up? No it only migrated the apps that were from the App Store...

So many of us function as unpaid tech support for various family members. I do everything I can to push them towards iOS largely because the total inability to side load apps saves me time and money.