Rise of the Sith

There are several significant differences between Android and iPhone OS application APIs, but the biggest difference is one of policy. Every complex platform has APIs that third-party developers shouldn’t use. Android is like Mac OS X (or Windows, or other non-console-style systems) where developers can choose to use these private APIs, against the vendor’s advice, and take their chances. With the iPhone OS, Apple enforces a ban on their use via the App Store review process. That’s the difference.

via daringfireball.net

The always-thorough-but-not-always-thoughtful Gruber misses the point entirely. What Tim Bray is saying is that applications (in this case an SMS app) come with APIs for data access, and said data is not available if the application is not installed on the handset.

For instance, if you could install a third party SMS app on your iPhone and delete the one that Apple shipped with their phones, this would be a problem for iPhone users (the data the different SMS apps stored may be different, or in a different format, or support different features, etc.). iPhone users don't have the problem Bray is describing because Apple doesn't allow developers to compete with them on core apps, nor do they let users delete Apple-installed apps they don't use (for instance, to save space or if they don't need the feature, or if there happens to be an alternative). Tim Bray explains this very eloquently and simply on his blog.

It's puzzling that Gruber is standing up for Apple while they keep key features of the API private, disallow competition for basic functions of the phone (a la SMS) and occasionally break down the front doors of bloggers and confiscate their computers.

I am sensing a disturbance in the force... I am afraid Gruber is becoming the Anakin Skywalker of computing, and we have to stop him before he kills the younglings.

 

Comments

[Anil Dash]

Steve Jobs has powers that some consider.... unnatural.

[apgwoz]

> nor do they let users delete Apple-installed apps they don't use

This is probably a technical limitation, like it is on my Sprint Hero. The problem is that the apps are burnt into the ROM. You'll notice this when updating your iPhone firmware. It's over 100 megs everytime, unlike software update on OS X, which can update components separately.

> It's puzzling that Gruber is standing up for Apple while they keep key features of the API private, disallow competition for basic functions of the phone (a la SMS) and occasionally break down the front doors of bloggers and confiscate their computers.

I haven't read very many posts where Gruber hasn't defended Apple. It's always made me wonder whether or not he's in their pocket, or secretly being seduced by Emperor Jobs.

[Adam Rice]

Is there a Darth Maul in this analogy?

[Jason]

Seriously, Gruber is so ridiculously one-sided as to be a Mobius strip; I have moved him into the same category of feeds as Winer, feeds that k read only while inebriated and able to resist punching my LCD.

[David Jacobs]

I missed Gruber's guest post on Steve Jobs' blog: http://www.fakesteve.net/2010/05/guest-blogger-john-gruber.html

I'd say that's the last word.