What you should know
“`html
- Huawei is advancing in the 5G chip market despite US sanctions, and TikTok faces potential ban in the USA while Apple adapts to the EU’s Digital Markets Act by introducing a Web Distribution feature for apps.
- Apple’s new Web Distribution feature in the EU allows iOS users to download apps directly from developers’ websites, bypassing the App Store, but the process is criticized for being overly complicated.
- Tim Sweeney criticizes Apple’s app installation process outside the App Store in the EU as being designed with “Dark Patterns” to make it intentionally difficult, calling it the “worst app installation experience in the history of computing.”
- The complex app installation process involves multiple steps, warnings, and the use of Face ID, leading to frustration among users and criticism for potentially deterring downloads.
“`
Full Story
Oh, the world’s on a wild ride, huh? Like something straight out of a movie with a villain sporting a thick German accent. And guess what? The tech scene’s right in the thick of it.
Huawei’s doing its thing, sanctions be damned. They’re churning out 5G chips and elbowing their way into the top 5 chipmakers’ club. Meanwhile, TikTok’s hanging by a thread in the US with its 170 million users. And Apple? Oh, Apple’s stirring the pot in the EU.
Thanks to the EU’s Digital Markets Act, Apple’s rolling out this new Web Distribution feature. Come spring, developers can bypass the App Store, letting users download apps straight from the web. A game-changer for iOS users in the EU, for sure.
But here’s the kicker. Downloading apps on an iPhone abroad? It’s a journey, marked with a big fat asterisk. Tim Sweeney from Epic Games, who’s been at Apple’s throat over App Store antics for ages, couldn’t help but throw shade.
“Congrats, Apple, for creating the most user-unfriendly app installation ever!” he tweets. It’s a masterpiece of inconvenience, a testament to Apple’s design prowess, or so he says, dripping with sarcasm.
Sweeney’s rant was sparked by a tweet from @xroissance, detailing the 15-click odyssey to install an app outside the App Store in the EU. It’s a trip – warnings, deep links, Face ID hoops, and all.
First, you hit the website for the download. Then, a wild deep link appears! You’re greeted by a warning about this unknown provider. “Learn More” takes you on a detour to an Apple support page.
You fumble around settings to “allow installation,” dodge another warning, and Face ID your way through. Lost yet? Back to the browser you go, hitting “Install” once more.
A confirmation sheet pops up. “Install,” you tap again, only to face yet another scare screen. Confirm, Face ID, and… nothing. Back on the website, you wonder if anything happened at all.
Check your Home Screen, swipe to the last page, and voilà, a new icon. No “New” bubble, though. Launch the app, and you’re finally there.
This whole circus? It’s got “Dark Patterns” written all over it. Making things unnecessarily complicated, all to deter you from doing what you want. It’s like they’re trying to hide the “cancel subscription” button in a labyrinth.
Sweeney’s fuming. He can’t stand the thought of Apple’s top-notch designers being roped into this mess. “Where’s the investigative journalism?” he demands. Who at Apple green-lit this nightmare?
But not everyone’s grabbing their pitchforks. Some folks think this convoluted process is a blessing in disguise, especially for the elderly who might accidentally download something they shouldn’t.
@JinAxelLea chimes in on X/Twitter, “No offense, Mr. Sweeney, but isn’t this kinda like Android?” They point out the similarities and shrug off the extra steps as no biggie.
So, there you have it. A tale of innovation, frustration, and a dash of sarcasm. In the grand scheme of things, it’s just another day in the tech world.
