Apple, Oh The Hypocrisy!
Ah yes, when Apple does something sinister its ok because Apple wants to "control" the experience, and well Apple is the "good guy".
Apple CEO Steve Jobs has confirmed that the iPhone 3G has a kill switch that can remotely remove software from the devices.
Jobs told The Wall Street Journal that Apple needs the capability in case it inadvertently allows a malicious program — such as an application that steals user’s personal data — to be distributed to iPhones through its App Store.
"Hopefully we never have to pull that lever, but we would be irresponsible not to have a lever like that to pull," Jobs said.
Ok, let’s rephrase this shall we…
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has confirmed that the Mobile Phone has a kill switch that can remotely remove software from the devices.
Ballmer told The Wall Street Journal that Microsoft needs the capability in case it inadvertently allows a malicious program — such as an application that steals user’s personal data — to be distributed to Mobile Phones through its App Store.
"Hopefully we never have to pull that lever, but we would be irresponsible not to have a lever like that to pull," Ballmer said.
So how do you feel about this? Steve is a control freak, and he has already used a form of this control.
But even if Apple had a good reason for removing the application, developers are concerned by the lack of communication from Apple about how and why certain applications are allowed or denied access to the App Store and why some are removed.
When the App Store was first announced earlier this year, company CEO Steve Jobs said there would be limitations on what applications could be sold. Specifically, he stated that porn would not be allowed.
First, why the control Steve? Secondly, why the dislike of porn? Not that I am excited and eager to download porn. Are you going to do the same with applications that promote violence? How about programs that relate to peoples habits or lifestyles that are not popular among certain crowds? Are you going to control that? I am tempted to believe that you will. This is yet another reason why I am bearish on Apple. So how could Apple have handled this better? Create an opt-in or opt-out program of these draconian measures.
Hello There Mr Roboto!
(the song and era says it all... http://www.devspace.com)
8 Comments Add your ownSubscribe
1. zato | August 13th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Don’t worry, 2 digit hater/creep. SJ is not going to delete your porn.
And if your God Steve Ballmer makes a phone, it will probable copy the Apple model, just like the Zune. It will have a Kill switch too. The reason is because the world is full of egoistic hater/creeps who would love to damage Apple. They might create an app that is harmless, and is accepted to the App-Store. Later, the app phones home and downloads malware. I’m not an expert, but something like that could happen. It’s about protecting the USER. Of course, to a hater/gamer//creep whose aim is to damage Apple, it’s some evil “control freak” plot. Such people are total a$$holes.
2. Partners in Grime | August 13th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
“Are you going to do the same with applications that promote violence?”
Yeah, nothing wrong with a good knife fight once in a while.
3. Christian | August 14th, 2008 at 12:44 am
zato: What the heck are you spewing… Can you make a point?
If I am getting your point you think that I want to damage Apple. BTW thanks for the comment, because I was hoping somebody would say that. It shows the attitude that I was trying to point out in that if Apple does this, its all goodness. If Microsoft were to do this, its all evilness. Or how about if Google were to do this! Then it would be all evilness again.
However, that will all change with this action. You see I went through the transition when IBM was the bad person and Microsoft the good.
Want to know what somebody said to me? He said, “Of course people are in the future going to hate Microsoft. Its only natural they will be at some time the big kid on the block.”
BTW I don’t actually consider Steve Ballmer my God and if you think I do then you are really spewing! I don’t want Steve Jobs controlling what is good for me, ok! I have been doing allright making my own decisions!
4. Jason Coleman | August 14th, 2008 at 7:48 am
Good points Christian. I think I’d like the kill switch if it just notified me of the malicious program and “offered” to remove it. Kind of like a popup blocker.
5. Christian | August 14th, 2008 at 8:31 am
Jason: Actually your approach would be very very good. It would be realtime, useful, but my choice.
6. Brett | August 14th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I hate Microsoft not “because it is big” but primarily because of the way they cheated their way to the top while selling mediocre software, instead of earning their success through excellence and true innovation.
You say you are bearish on Apple because of their desire to control the software on the iPhone. While I agree that this may drive some people to competing products, I’m inclined to believe that Apple will exercise their control sensibly.
You have only to look at other controversial iPhone design decisions which some had labeled deal-breakers (for example: sealed batteries, lack of tactile keyboard). Apple has shown an uncanny ability to judge what the market will tolerate. Apple products always seem to have other unique attributes that more than compensate for their limitations.
7. Christian | August 18th, 2008 at 8:19 am
Brett: Microsoft cheated? Come on this is BS… I have been far too long in the computing field to agree with this comment.
What Microsoft did to the computing world is make it accessible. Apple did not do this, otherwise Apple would have won the game. Microsoft knew the strength to their platform are third parties. So Microsoft created a platform. DOS was a so so platform, but what set them apart is their Windows platform.
You might not think much of Windows, but to those who had to suffer before Windows it is a god send. Before Windows you had to get special driver for special application, etc. It was a royal mess. No platform got it right. Along came windows and they created standard drivers. That was the godsend and it catapulted Microsoft to what it is today.
Apple takes the easy route in that they limit your hardware choice. Microsoft took the hard route and enabled the user and consumer. Yes they have had to take their lumps, but I have yet to see any other software player do it better.
Of course this is lost to most people because they don’t know anything before.
I know Apple from the early days and I see that they have not changed their tune. They are back to their old tricks again.
Want to know something else. On Friday I cruised the cell phone allies. Many wanted the iPhone, but then they asked for a specific carrier and the ability to tune. The answer was, no, you can’t do that. Without taking a breath the customers said, “ah”, and the seller said, “though you know this Nokia or Samsung can do this…” The client moved past the iPhone…
What I see happening is a repeat of the Mac with the iPhone. Great computer (phone), and the real money maker is not the iPhone, but everybody else…
BTW I don’t regret taking the ride with Apple at the beginning of this year… But I am really loathe to jump on again.
8. Brett | August 18th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Maybe Apple was always destined to lose the battle for the desktop because of their unwillingness to license their OS. Nevertheless, there is ample evidence that Microsoft cemented their stranglehold on the OS and application markets using a variety of unethical techniques (both legal and illegal). Whether it be making subtle undocumented changes that caused competitor’s software to malfunction, mandating that computer-makers exclusively bundle only Microsoft OS (or pay a huge penalty), making vaporware promises to blunt interest in competing products, blatantly stealing code from others, and on and on. All the while they claim to be innovators while excusing their misdeeds as just being a “tough competitor”.
If you consider having a software standard (no matter how mediocre) is worth overlooking Microsoft’s behavior, that’s your choice. There are plenty of people that tolerate Windows because that’s all they know. I will note that Apple’s computer market-share is growing significantly as people are finally discovering that Apple offers a superior alternative. While I don’t expect Apple to ever overtake Microsoft, I think there is still plenty of room for growth in that area.
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