According to a new Korean news report, “Google and Apple are resisting the Korean government’s legal revision to uninstall preloaded apps on their new mobile devices,” Jack Purcher writes for Patently Apple. “The Korea Herald‘s report further noted that ‘In April, the Korea Communications Commission, the telecom regulator, announced a revision that will allow consumers to delete apps they don’t need.'”
“Following government guidelines announced in 2014, Korean handset manufacturers and telecom carriers are making their preinstalled apps removable but foreign companies such as Google and Apple still resist following the rules that are not legally binding,” Purcher writes. “There’s a huge difference between demanding annoying bloatware be removed from PC’s and mobile devices like smartphones and trying to handicap leading OEM’s like Apple that create a world class suit of essential apps that allow the device to be useful to users right out of the box.”
Purcher writes, “Samsung and LG can’t deliver software people actually want and so the government is trying to assist these local OEMs by trying to force Apple and Google to dumb down their operating systems and essential apps.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Samsungorea strikes again. (Try some Pepto!)
They don’t call South Korea the Republic of Samsung for nothing.
SEE ALSO:
Apple’s iPhone can soon reap 100 percent of world’s smartphone profits – November 17, 2015
South Korea, the Republic of Samsung – December 10, 2012
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
Simple, don’t sell in South Korea. If both Apple and Google took this tact watch attitudes miraculously change. Though the “assthorities” there know this will never happen.
Unless consumers are actually being harmed, governments need to stay the hell out of commerce.
I do recall how MDN railed against the gorilla Microsoft when they pre-installed apps and made it very difficult for 3rd party apps to survive — web browsers most notably. But when Apple does the exact same thing preinstalled apps and forcing Safari to be the default browser, and Maps to be the default crappy map on iOS, well you guessed it, fanboys at MDN don’t make a peep.
Literally every you said here is wrong. Apple has never prevented 3rd parties from making browsers or other apps for the iPhone like Microsoft did…. The app ecosystem only exists because Apple invented the App Store in the first place… You’re an ignoramus if you don’t know this, but more likely you’re a troll trying to be funny but aren’t. Douche.
Learn to read before going on the warpath, my friend. If you disagree with what I have stated, provide evidence to disprove me.
You should know and acknowledge that Apple prevents alternate software developers from being the default browser or mapping software or music player on iOS devices. Just like we all hated when Microsoft attempted to do the same thing on Windows. I didn’t say Apple bans them outright. Microsoft didn’t either.
The difference was that Windows licensing agreements supposedly allowed an open platform, which Microsoft regretted and then resorted to monopolisitic practices to edge out emerging software. Apple, took a different approach with iOS. With iOS, there is no open platform. Apple makes it very clear in its agreements that it’s a gated community, and so any software that is distributed has to meet Apple’s rules (which may change at any time). All that is fine and good up until Apple stops listening to consumers.
What I am pointing out, much to your dismay, is that Apple’s store rules are now eerily like Microsoft used to attempt. Don’t like the default Maps? Apple tells consumers to pound sand, they will just have to manually open alternate map apps. Apple allows in-app purchasing for games and stuff, but they prevent music distributors from automating their streaming billing statements from other distributors. Obviously it’s Apple’s attempt to make Apple Music the first and only app that music buyers see. No convenient Spotify billing for you.
Look, I know that in your eyes Apple is perfect and all, but they are no longer listening to the consumer. Apple is now the gorilla corporation and it is beginning to act like it. Profits are all that matter now.
Sorry for stating the obvious.
Learn to read the story.
“There’s a huge difference between demanding annoying bloatware be removed from PC’s and mobile devices like smartphones and trying to handicap leading OEM’s like Apple that create a world class suit of essential apps that allow the device to be useful to users right out of the box.”
So tell me what’s the difference in opening the Maps app or any other Apple app or non-Apple app? You still have to open it by similar methods which also makes choice available as to what apps you want to use – Apple or other developers. (In a map app though there is an onerous situation where huge resources are needed to gain enough data and infrastructure to make it good. Not available to most developers. But then Google Maps is also available, et al.) You can rearrange your Apple phone to your heart’s delight. So NOT like Microsoft. Nothing to see here. Move along.
Are S. Korean consumers behind this or is this just something the government is deciding upon? I understand governments should try to do whatever is best for their local businesses, so I have nothing to say against this. Our government should have protected American businesses in the past but they didn’t and let other countries make inroads in America. We don’t do anything to slow down Samsung product sales in America.
This is an attempt by Samsung to hamstring iPhone sales in Korea. iPhone market share has risen above 20% in Korea recently, and is rising. This is the first time that a non-Korea manufactured handset has garnered more than 20% market share, and Samsung doesn’t like it.
You’re full of shit as usual. Apple has never prevented anyone from using another browser, and I’ve probably tried at least a half dozen over the years, and originally used Internet Explorer for a long time. Right now I have Firefox and Aviator on mine. Go back to porn browsing on your Dell.
I see personal attacks on Mike but he’s actually right.
http://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/971788
Q: How can I change my iPhone default browser?
A: iOS on both the iPhone and iPad offers no ability to specify one of the many Mobile Safari alternatives as your device’s default browser.
Owners that have jailbroken their iPhone can add this functionality by installing an iOS tweak called Browser Changer, which is the successor to OpenOpera. There’s also an SBSettings toggle available for Browser Changer, allowing for quick and easy default browser changes.
Browser Changer comes with support for over 25 alternative browsers, including popular alternatives to Mobile Safari such as Dolphin, Atomic Browser, Opera Mini and more.
To install the Browser Changer tweak, open Cydia, select ‘Search’ and type in “Browser Changer”. The rest is self explanatory.
That’s really quite geektard and all for pretty much nothing. “Default browser?” Who gives a crap? Simply replace Safari with your chosen Browser app on your iPhone home screen. I usually initiate Safari or browser interactions directly anyway.
How does the law distinguish essential parts of the OS from “Apps”?
Probably something obvious in the case of Android and iOS like: anything that is displayed as an App is not an ‘essential’ part of the OS if it can be replaced by another App with similar functionality.
How would you install apps if it didn’t come with the App Store app? Sounds very chicken and egg.
Another retarded Korean rule mean to hamstring the “foreign” competition. Almost no matter what the Korean govt and samsung do iPhone has been growing and doing better and better in Korea and this is still with an official apple store in Korea. Samsung is sinking and they know it. The Korean govt is trying to protect their cash cow but it won’t work. This is why I almost always buy my tech from outside of Korea and have it shipped it to prevent at any korean nonsense with my devices.
The usual Spirit of the Age of crap biznizziz:
If you can’t compete, cheat.
Thats the M.O. and has been for decades. Korean conglomerates did it to each other. Thats how many of them if not most got to where they are today. Now they do it to foreign competition.
It’s cruddy device makers who’ve muddied the waters regarding preinstalled apps. They’ve taken payments from app developers to have their apps installed on the cruddy devices. The result is often a horrendous mess of crapware that’s well hated by victim buyers of the cruddy devices. (I won’t bother naming names).
Apple has already been making an effort to make some more innocuous apps able to be deleted from iOS devices. But some are never going to be removed. Obviously, that includes Safari which is fundamental to the operation of iOS devices out of the box. Remove it and you’ve killed basic Internet access. South Korea would blow an aneurism if that happened, though they may not realize it at this time.
After eading this story and some of the comment I was left with this nagging feeling that some people may not understand what an iPhone is, or is not.
It was clear from the first iPhone that it was never intended as a “General Computing Device” and it has never been classified generically as “a computer”
The original iphone wouldn’t even allow you the opportunity to use third party apps.
The iPhone is “A Product” with features that do certain things. It’s not a device “to do anything you want”. It does what Apple allows you to do.
Asking to remove a “feature” of a product seems like a stretch of authority. Although a government, any government, has the right to impose restrictions and regulations it seems fit. Just ask Mr Trump.
Contrast this to Windows and PC’s which have always been touted as “general purpose operating system and computing device” with no vision other than “we don’t know what to do, so we will give you a platform to do anything you want”
Any company has a right to make the product they want (within the law).
Any government can regulate.
It will be interesting to watch this case.
This is going to be one of the biggest tests for the West as the economic nature of the World economy changes. These countries can’t take specific focused acts to restrict competition directly but this sort of thing will be created to do so in all but name. Previously we have turned a blind eyes to such things for whats deemed the ‘greater good’ but as they become massive players in every aspect of our lives if there are not quick ways to react, respond and coordinate ways to either stop or retaliate then the traditional economies will be fighting for their lives and as I have always predicted will eventually be so out of the loop with so little influence over the technology involved that we have little capacity to influence matters. We are already getting dangerously close to this scenario with China, where we are sleep walking into compliance with their power play.
its natural that as apple has emerged as the giant it is, that the playing field changes for apple versus the time when it was definitely number 2 to windows.
now that apple is a giant, in fact, the laws (at least in the usa. i don’t know about korea). do require apple to use its size to exclude other platforms. meaning: just putting iBooks by into the iPhone without also putting kindle also there, will begin to make problems for apple.
this issue has nothing to do with bloatware.
its about the sheer size that apple has become giving it a headstart and advantage over other company’s apps.
there will be, and i think, should be, more legal obstacles to prevent apple from making choices for us.
most of us apple fans thought this in our struggle against windows domination. now its apple’s turn.
Apple’s iOS 10 will allow you to delete many of their pre-installed apps, including Mail, Maps, Calendar, Reminders, and more. They are opening many of the APIs that were exclusive to Apple apps. I’m suspect that this will allow you to replace Apple’s Mail app with a third party app. Or Maps with Google Maps. And have Google Maps work in CarPlay.
iOS 10 opens many closed doors.
Perhaps waiting for iOS 10 to actually be in general use before praising its benefits may be wise.