[palata]

1- I would hope that they already maintain and protect their private API against attacks (it has to be exposed to the internet, right?), and that they keep backward compatibility for the ElectronJS (and isn't the Android app native?) that are not updated out there. You forgot to mention something like "they would have to invent access control", to which I would answer that they already need that. They would literally just have to open their API to third parties. I doubt this would cost millions.

2- Don't assume too much. I use IRC from a CLI. But anyway you are just repeating your previous point, which is that you think it would cost millions.

3- Well, they would know what the third-party apps use in the API. They could also provide integrations for most popular languages, and those would send telemetry (what do you think the Google Play Services do?). For my crappy app, probably they don't need to know what I do, I am just a useless geek as you said.

4- Counter example: I was always able to connect my crappy app to my GMail account, and it did not prevent GMail from essentially taking over e-mail. But the couple hundred geeks who don't like the web frontend can use their crappy e-mail app, and everyone is happy.

> The beauty of liberal capitalism is that ultimately, at least to some extent, what is good for users is good for the company.

Respectfully, that is the most naive comment I have read today. I don't even know where to start answering that, so I'll just pass :-).