Kaspersky Lab Files Antitrust Complaint Against Apple Over App Store Policy (macrumors.com) 68
Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab has filed an antitrust complaint against Apple with the Russian Federal Antimonopoly Service relating to the company's App Store distribution policy. From a report: Kaspersky's complaint is specifically to do with Apple's removal of the Kaspersky Safe Kids app. In a blog post on the Kaspersky website, the firm says it received notice from Apple last year that the app, which had been in the App Store for three years, did not meet App Store guidelines owing to the use of configuration profiles. Kaspersky was told by Apple that it would need to remove these profiles for the app to pass review and remain in the App Store, but the Russian firm had argued this action essentially crippled the app. "For us, that would mean removing two key features from Kaspersky Safe Kids: app control and Safari browser blocking." The first allows parents to specify which apps kids can't run based on the App Store's age restrictions, while the second allows the hiding of all browsers on the device so that web pages can only be accessed in the Kaspersky Safe Kids app's built-in secure browser.
take them down! (Score:1)
I sure hope they win. Apple has gotten away with this garbage for way too long!
Re: (Score:1)
And what garbage is that precisely?
They can still sell it, just not on the app store (Score:2)
THere are other ways to solve this. THings like Goode provide their own app environment.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
Re: (Score:1)
The real reason is that it is filed in a Russian Kangaroo court.
Apple will just laugh it off.
Re: (Score:1)
Now if my grandma said she wanted a computer, I might recommend she get an Apple as it would suit
Re:take them down! (Score:5, Insightful)
And that's what an anti-trust court is going to determine - it's not whether Apple has a monopoly, its whether they are abusing their position.
Sure, it's a walled garden on only Apple products, but it's a large part of the overall app market and a significant amount of revenue - a court could certainly place limits on what Apple can and can't do in its own garden, if it finds Apple is abusing its position as gatekeeper.
This is going to happen in the EU in the next year or so as well - I think Apple has something to worry about.
Re: (Score:2)
This is going to happen in the EU in the next year or so as well - I think Apple has something to worry about.
I'm not sure they will. Apple fundamentally on their device in there store is in a different position than any other company owing to the completely closed ecosystem they present. They can absolutely dictate what happens on their platform as long as they apply their rules universally. Abuse of market position would depend on Kaspersky proving that they are indeed being treated differently than anyone else.
This would not be the same as Google doing this on Android as condition of having Play certification (s
Re: (Score:1)
iOS will eventually be forced to separate the OS from the Apps. Sure, it will still look and work the same, but the monopolistic and anti-competitive policies will have to change. They can keep their share of the app sales, but they will need to allow any apps to run on their OS of course with-in the limits of general security.
iOS will eventually be just like Windows and MacOS.
It's only a matter of time.
-T-
Re:take them down! (Score:4, Interesting)
I think you missed the bit, where this matter was going to be settled in a Russia court and not a US one. I am pretty sure Kaspersky will win. The Apple solution, will inevitably end up being different stores for different countries. So Kaspersky software will sell in the Russian Apple store but not in any other.
Re: (Score:1)
And again, the Apple store is their own store. They can choose what products they want there and what products they don't want. US store, Russian store, it doesn't matter. If Apple doesn't want to offer it they are under no
Re: (Score:3)
YEA! I want apple to Allow apps, that can change the configuration of my phone and change embedded security settings!
Oh wait... I don't
I want trust of Apps on the App store will work on my phone and not damage my experience with it. This is a phone device which is always on connected to often an insecure network. I am actually surprised that there hasn't been a major iPhone vulnerability that was widely taken advantage of. I expect it is partially due to Apple Strict App store policy.
However if I need to
Re:take them down! (Score:4, Interesting)
Aside from the fact that every jailbreak done on an iOS device is an exploit of a vulnerability, including lots of early ones where you just had to visit a website to jailbreak, App Store breaches are fairly regular, you just seemed to have tuned them out.
And that's when Apple isn't doing stuff like allowing apps to secretly record your screen, without your knowledge and without any guarantee that your personal information is secure.
Re: (Score:3)
No lie needed - Apple only cracked down on it after it was exposed. Up to that point, Apple explicitly allowed it, as all the apps using it had to pass App Store reviews multiple times, so they had Apples express permission to use it.
This is something that that walled garden is supposed to prevent - but it didn't.
Words (Score:2)
Kapersky
Apple
Russia
Kids
Apps
These words together in any fashion makes me a little uncomfortable.
Walled Garden meets Iron Curtain (Score:2)
In a world of Walled Gardens, the caretakers determine what the weeds are. Unfortunately Kaspersky may always be considered a thistle.
Re: (Score:1)
What did you say? I can't hear you with Tim's dick in your mouth.
Re: (Score:2)
sorry all I got was "mumble mumble" you'll never get anywhere in life like that.
Re: (Score:1)
still mumbling, sorry this is going nowhere much like your life probably. Sorry you're such a hateful little fucktard. Go out side, take a walk maybe read a book.
This is why some devs avoid App Store (Score:5, Interesting)
BareBones doesn’t distribute BBEdit through the App Store for somewhat similar reasons - certain functionality isn’t allowed for App Store apps. I think with BBEdit it has to do with command line tools and possibly having the ability to edit files which need admin permissions to access.
Of course BBEdit was already well entrenched before the App Store even existed, so not being in the App Store is unlikely to impact their bottom line (note: they did have an App Store presence for a while). It might not be as easy for newer companies. To be honest, though, I don’t know what percentage of software on the average Mac comes from the App Store versus other more traditional sources. I don’t use the Store much, but then I’ve been doing this for quite a while.
Re:This is why some devs avoid App Store (Score:4, Informative)
While the story of BBEdit is an interesting one, you seem to be unaware that Apple announced from the stage at WWDC last year that BBEdit would be returning to the Mac App Store [9to5mac.com].
Also worth pointing out: BBEdit was pulled from the Mac App Store, not the (iOS) App Store, whereas Kaspersky is complaining about (iOS) App Store stuff. The difference matters. With the Mac App Store, the vast majority of apps are available outside that storefront and macOS’ default behavior allows apps outside the store to run without problem. Not so in iOS, where users have no realistic choice for circumventing any seemingly capricious or onerous requirements Apple enacts that might hamstring developers.
That's what I want (Score:1)
the Russians keeping my kids safe.
Re: (Score:2)
When chess Grandmaster Lev Alburt was growing up in the Soviet Union, they had lots of propaganda warning the people that Americans were preparing to invade to bring democracy.
The children, dutifully believing the propaganda, made maps showing the location of the local military barracks, and other landmarks, and kept them hidden to give to the Americans when they landed.
But they never came. So eventually he defected.
Much of Russia probably agrees with you. But don't ask them; opinions are dangerous for them
Apple's abysmal parental controls (Score:5, Interesting)
As a parent I've spent months investigating Apple's built-in settings that provide me with control of the phone while my children learn self-control. What I've found:
1. Reporting of screen time is spotty. I've got 4 boys. 2 of their phones has never (iPhone 7s) reported, 1 occasionally reports (5), and 1 usually reports (6).
2. The time controls are embarassingly easy to circumvent. They routinely exceed the alloted time and occasionally well over.
3. There is no way to force them to wifi when at home where I can filter sites so I've have to rely on Apple's controls (which are already suspect) and have no easy way of log review to know the controls ARE working.
Re:Apple's abysmal parental controls (Score:4, Funny)
3. There is no way to force them to wifi when at home where I can filter sites so I've have to rely on Apple's controls (which are already suspect) and have no easy way of log review to know the controls ARE working.
Sure there is. Faraday cage your house.
Configuration Profiles (Score:5, Insightful)
Configuration profiles offer a lot of control of a device, and can pose asecurity risk. Nothing really prevents a developer from distributing the app and configuration profile independently though, just makes it harder for the end user. If all the functionality is really in the profile though, it becomes easy to bypass the sales mechanism.
First link I found on the subject: https://www.howtogeek.com/1761... [howtogeek.com]
Think of the good Kaspersky can do (Score:1)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... [wikipedia.org]
Bringing Kaspersky to any OS will just improve such support and detection of new and unexpected malware.
Grow a pair (Score:2)
Kapersky should grow a pair and just abandon the Apple market entirely. In fack anyone who complains (I'm looking at you Spotify) should abandon the Apple market. Lack of choice will then (hopefully) destroy Apples preciousness.