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by GlitchMr 1438 days ago
- Web browsers with ad-blocking and plug-ins (Apple currently requires all web browsers to use system Webkit with very limited APIs).

- Game cloud streaming services (xCloud, Stadia, GeForce Now).

- Unofficial clients for websites such as YouTube that add features that official client doesn't have.

- Tools to disable advertisements in applications.

- Programs licensed under GPL as Apple App Store bans those.
2 comments
dwaite 1438 days ago
> Unofficial clients for websites such as YouTube that add features that official client doesn't have.

I'm sure Google can send a cease-and-desist to all sorts of other stores instead of just Apple.

> Tools to disable advertisements in applications.

This would be breaking the sandbox model of the system, I don't think the regulation requires dismantling system security

> Programs licensed under GPL as Apple App Store bans those.

No such rule. VLC on App Store is the first example that comes to mind. There are also GPLv2 components (such as WebKit) shipping in iOS itself.

The FSF has said there are (IMHO bureaucratic) issues with GPL on an App Store, specifically that e.g. Apple takes on certain responsibilities, rather than the developer.

For that reason, it's possible a contributor may shoot down publication, which IIRC caused VLC to have to rewrite certain components before launch.

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GlitchMr 1438 days ago
> I'm sure Google can send a cease-and-desist to all sorts of other stores instead of just Apple.

Google may dislike those applications and refuse to host them on Google Play, but they aren't doing anything illegal, so they cannot do anything about programs like https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.schabi.newpipe/ on other stores.

> This would be breaking the sandbox model of the system, I don't think the regulation requires dismantling system security

I don't think it is breaking the sandbox, it could be implemented using NEAppProxyProvider, however this particular API is not available for App Store applications.

> Programs licensed under GPL as Apple App Store bans those.

iPhone version of VLC is licensed under MPL2 specifically for that reason. WebKit is LGPL2.1.

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kaba0 1437 days ago
Also, torrent clients, anything that could perhaps be used for piracy, anything even just very slightly pornographic or considered that by Apple.
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