Apple Pulls the Plug on User-Found Method To Sideload iOS Apps on Mac (arstechnica.com) 44
Apple has plugged a hole that allowed users to sideload iOS and iPad applications to M1 Macs that were never intended to run on desktop. The server-side change ensures that only applications that app developers have flagged as optimized for Mac will run. From a report: Late last year, Apple launched its first Macs running on its own ARM-based custom CPU called the M1, as opposed to the Intel chips that have been used in Macs for several years. These new machines included the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro, the MacBook Air, and the low-end Mac mini. Since those machines now share an architecture with iPhones and iPads, which also have closely related ARM-based chips, it became possible to run iOS and iPadOS apps natively on Macs that were equipped with the M1 chip. Apple supported this by listing iPhone and iPad apps that passed an automated test on the Mac App Store, provided developers did not opt out of having the app listed. However, many developers did opt out for any number of reasons: because they did not feel the app provided a good user experience on laptops or desktops; because they offer preferred alternative ways to access services or content on Macs; because they don't have the time to support an additional platform; or any number of other reasons.
Has Apple ... (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Has Apple ... (Score:4, Informative)
This is about running iPhone and iPad apps on the Mac. Which didn't run at all on the Mac until the M1 SoC. And not even about all of them but only about those apps that their developers didn't want to see running on the Mac and opted out of that.
Re: Has Apple ... (Score:2)
Yep. Macs are now officially not Personal Computers anymore.
When they were PCs before.
Yes, that is what in IT, the word PC means, always meant, and always will mean, dear Apple usees.
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Bad car analogy (Score:1)
those apps that their developers didn't want to see running on the Mac
I bought a car from you. It's none of your business where I drive it.
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those apps that their developers didn't want to see running on the Mac
I bought a car from you. It's none of your business where I drive it.
Even on the sidewalk? The wrong way on a one way street?
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The manufacturer has no business dealing with that. The police do. Same as if you used your Mac to hack government sites, it'd be the police.
Loading a program on your Mac is perfectly legal, just Apple now won't let you.
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You are more than free to step outside the ecosystem that Apple maintains - Apple doesn't have to help you do so, and they certainly don't have to accommodate you when you do, so once you do you are on your own.
If you want to use the ecosystem, you play by the rules that ecosystem comes with. Buy a Mac or an iPhone, install Linux on it, but don't expect to use the App Store once you do.
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You are more than free to step outside the ecosystem that Apple maintains
Well you were, it was called sideloading and it worked fine.
If you want to use the ecosystem, you play by the rules that ecosystem comes with.
Sure but that was the earlier point that the Mac is being dragged into the walled garden. macOS was the unrestricted platform where you could run whatever programs you like without restriction. iOS is the walled garden that has limits and restrictions on what you can do.
Sounds like you're in agreement that indeed the Mac is being dragged into the walled garden with restrictions on its usage.
Re:Bad car analogy (Score:4, Insightful)
The Mac has long had its own app store, which comes with its own restrictions (filesystem access etc) - its not being dragged into anything, its been there for some time and Apple have done nothing to prevent users installing apps outside of the app store.
IOS apps on Macs are a convenience, nothing more - they will never replace native MacOS apps because they are not as fully featured and are much more heavily restricted in nature. Macs still sell well even in a world where iPads and iPhones have been around, with apps, for more than a decade now - thats not going to change.
So no, no agreement at all - sideloading is not "stepping outside the ecosystem", its "I want the ecosystem but I want it my way and my way only" in typical petulant style that is normal here on Slashdot. Install Linux, then install apps from apt or rpm or whatever and live with what is provided there - *thats* stepping outside the ecosystem, but dont expect support from anyone when you do.
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its "I want the ecosystem but I want it my way and my way only"
What the hell is "the ecosystem"? We're talking about running iOS programs on an M1 Mac, which you could do perfectly fine but has now been restricted.
Install Linux, then install apps from apt or rpm or whatever and live with what is provided there
You're confused, iOS apps don't run on Linux and in fact Linux doesn't run on an M1 Mac. You should really read what this story is actually about.
Re: Bad car analogy (Score:2)
Aaah, the old lock-in localized monopoly apologist.
Never fails to spread his deluded world view.
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Re: Has Apple ... (Score:5, Informative)
... just dragged the Mac desktop inside their walled garden?
No.
They have simply protected themselves from a whole bunch of Hater posts about how "iOS Apps in M1 Macs are a joke."
You know that is exactly what would happen; when the real reason would be that some iOS Apps require some amount of tweaking to be reasonably usable in macOS, and more importantly, that some Apps are really dependent on an OS designed from the ground-up with a touch interface in mind, and really require a separate macOS Application.
Apple didnâ(TM)t have to allow iOS/iPadOS Apps to run on Macs. Afterall, this could suppress sales of iPads somewhat (though probably not iPhones). So, I can hardly blame them from wanting to nip millions of tech support calls and dozens of "iOS compatibility is a joke" Articles and thousands of Forum Postings, just because some Devs. have no intention (or ability) to invest the effort to meet Apple halfway by using the tools that Apple has created for making iOS/iPadOS Apps much more compatible with macOS.
Re: Has Apple ... (Score:2)
Nice spin doctoring.
Completely missing rhe point. Deliberstely miseading the discussion. Straw man. Partial circular logic. Beautiful. Not Even Wrong.
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Blah blah blah, apple shill.
Blah blah blah, Apple Hater.
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just because some Devs. have no intention (or ability) to invest the effort to meet Apple halfway
Then toss them off the platform. Why does Apple even want them if they are not going to produce apps to a quality standard?
Hater posts about how "iOS Apps in M1 Macs are a joke"
More likely they will post that your iOS App is a joke. And they wil be right.
After all, this could suppress sales of iPads somewhat
Not really. The iOS apps will run just fine on an iPad iPhone. They may not be ideal on a Mac. But I don't see how this perception will affect iPad users in the least.
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just because some Devs. have no intention (or ability) to invest the effort to meet Apple halfway
Then toss them off the platform. Why does Apple even want them if they are not going to produce apps to a quality standard?
Hater posts about how "iOS Apps in M1 Macs are a joke"
More likely they will post that your iOS App is a joke. And they wil be right.
After all, this could suppress sales of iPads somewhat
Not really. The iOS apps will run just fine on an iPad iPhone. They may not be ideal on a Mac. But I don't see how this perception will affect iPad users in the least.
What kind of retarded nonsense are you spewing? Oh, and where did I say that I had an iOS App? I don't.
And WTF is an "iPad Phone"?
This sucks... but not unexpected (Score:3, Interesting)
This sucks, but Apple guards the IP from its App Store extremely zealously, so I'm not suprised that IPA files can't be sideloaded.
The real question is if Apple goes after mechanisms like Brew or mas, which are not linked to their gatekeepers. Hopefully not.
Good Reasons (Score:2)
There are some good reasons for this. If Apple lets people run any iOS app on the Mac desktop, then app developers won't see any need to make a desktop version. If instead, Apple only lets apps that have a desktop mode run on the desktop, they force the app developers to look at how their apps will look and work on a desktop, so they user ends up with a better experience. The downside is that many app developers won't bother, and users who want to use their apps won't be able to on a Mac desktop.
I don't
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Your explanation is convoluted. Given Apple's previous course, the simplest explanation is a merger of Mac OS and iOS.
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If instead, Apple only lets apps that have a desktop mode run on the desktop, they force the app developers to look at how their apps will look and work on a desktop, so they user ends up with a better experience.
As far as I can see, there's no new requirement for "desktop optimization" at all - nothing has changed with regards to the automated testing. This just involves a more stringent check against an opt-out which developer may choose to select.
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There are some good reasons for this.
The app developer gets to sell you 2 versions of the same app, one for macOS and one for iOS... which Apple will get a nice cut from.
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There are some good reasons for this.
The app developer gets to sell you 2 versions of the same app, one for macOS and one for iOS... which Apple will get a nice cut from.
exactly. this is all about keeping developers happy (and treating them fairly). there are lots of apps out there with different iOS & mac versions and, with the mac versions often costing 3x as much or more, being able to install the iOS version on your mac has the potential to really cut into developer revenue. take fantastical or the carrot weather app as two easy examples.
that said, not being able to run things like the nest or kasa app on an apple silicon machine is frustrating because in many cases
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If the mac version costs more there should be a reason (more features, optimized ui for keyboard/touchpad rather than touchscreen etc)...
If the user wants to have an inferior version for a lower price then the choice should be down to the user.
If the mac version is not sufficiently superior to justify the higher price, then i would very much resent being expected to pay more.
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there are lots of apps out there with different iOS & mac versions and, with the mac versions often costing 3x as much or more, being able to install the iOS version on your mac has the potential to really cut into developer revenue.
But if the Mac version is better then people will buy it, if it's not better then they will use the iOS version.
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This isn't saying that they're locking down the desktop to only run Apple-approved programs.
You can't really still be sticking your head in the sand on this, even the most ignorant frog would realise they were slowly boiling when it were made this obvious.
Gatekeeper UI had 3 options:
In OSX Lion the default was Anywhere in OSX Mountain Lion the default was changed to Mac App Store and identified developers in OSX Sierra the Anywhere option was removed and you were forced to Command+Click, select "Open" and then click through their
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It sucks, but makes sense (Score:2)
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Re: It sucks, but makes sense (Score:2)
No it doesn't.
If it runs in the same context, like where what is and what is available, it makes no difference to the app.
Also, who do you think you are, telling others what to run where and what not?
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Why not?
The app store is clear when it says "designed for iphone" or "designed for ipad"... Users have no reason to expect an app which is optimized for the laptop form factor. It should be up to the user to make that decision or not.
Also if you find that many users are downloading an ipad app to run on a mac, that could be incentive to spend the development effort to produce a more laptop optimized ui. If you block it, no users will download it and you'll have the false perception that there is no demand t
WTF. (Score:2)
Okay, now that Apple installed its totalitarian walled garden on their full computers too, they officially have stopped being Personal Computers.
They are appliances, gadgets and kiosks.
"Mac VS PC" is finally almost realistic. (Except still, PC != Windows.)
run a program? (Score:2)
... on your computer?
DESPICABLE!
Haha, ownership? (Score:1)
Haha. You think you own your computer? hahahahahah.