←back to thread

Samsung embeds IronSource spyware app on phones across WANA

(smex.org)
845 points the-anarchist | 2 comments | 21 Jun 25 03:06 UTC | HN request time: 0.425s | source
Show context
thenthenthen ◴[21 Jun 25 05:19 UTC] No.44334730[source]▶
AppCloud, developed by the controversial Israeli-founded company ironSource (now owned by the American company Unity)

Yes the Unity 3D engine company wow.

replies(2): >>44335092 #>>44336029 #
Nition ◴[21 Jun 25 09:26 UTC] No.44336029[source]▶
The weirdest part of that merger was Unity paid $4.4billion for IronSource.
replies(1): >>44337390 #
JohnHaugeland ◴[21 Jun 25 13:18 UTC] No.44337390[source]▶
ironsource was the owner and runner of the largest sleazy game ad network, which was unity specific

unity was dying for lack of revenue

replies(2): >>44340740 #>>44342622 #
1. airstrike ◴[22 Jun 25 02:02 UTC] No.44342622[source]▶
no, unity was dying for low profitability and ads had higher margin

I argued against the acquisition at the time, including against accepting the framing that it was a "merger", and I think everything that's transpired since then has validated my views.

Sadly, I was outnumbered and “it is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it” applied as it always does.

John Riccitiello was a terrible CEO

I think there's non-zero chance this company will go down in flames. I think its only hope at this point is a sufficiently motivated activist shareholder.

replies(1): >>44351546 #
2. Nition ◴[23 Jun 25 00:52 UTC] No.44351546[source]▶
I have to say it made the later "Runtime Fee" announcement seem even more in poor taste as well, given that it might have had a big effect on the users paying it, but ultimately mean almost nothing to Unity against the billions paid for IronSource and WetaFX.

At 2¢ per install, with a million Unity games installed every year, they'd make a profit in 300,000 years.