Looks like this is an Apple problem that can ve solved by not using Apple products. Every once in a while I look at some Apple device and think it's nifty. Shortly after I'm made aware of some thing or other that they can't do because Apple just doesn't like standards, open source, or just freedom itself.

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excalibur 9 hours ago | parent | next [-]

It's not enough to not use Apple products. You either have to convince everyone around you to not use them either, or you have to have compatability.

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hhh 9 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Like what?

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bhelkey 5 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Lets just zoom into a single use case. The ability of the user to buy a 3rd Party watch that integrates with their phone:

* Apple doesn't allow 3rd Party watches to send text messages. The Apple Watch is allowed to do so.

* Apple doesn't allow 3rd Party to take actions on notifications. The Apple Watch is allowed to do so.

* If you want to use the internet on your watch, you must: 1) install a 3rd party app, 2) keep that app open. Closing the app closes the connection to the internet. The Apple Watch does not have this restriction.

* 3rd Party watches cannot detect if you are using your phone. This means that they will notify users of notifications even if the user is looking at the notification. The Apple Watch does not have this restriction.

* Apple does not have ‘interprocess communication’(IPC) like Android.

* Apple restricts making 3rd Party App Stores. This makes it difficult to make a community of people making watch faces.

All points come from Pebble's blog [1]. This is just a single type of integration that Apple intentionally makes difficult, there are many others (e.g. 3rd Party Photos App, ...)

[1] https://ericmigi.com/blog/apple-restricts-pebble-from-being-...

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dnissley 9 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

On iPhones you can't install software except through the app store

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nkozyra 9 hours ago | parent [-]

Well Android is going to be the same way now, too.

	▲	miloignis 9 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		No, that's not true - the change was that you could only install software from verified developers, not only from the app store, and now they've partially walked that back too and "are building a new advanced flow that allows experienced users to accept the risks of installing software that isn't verified." ( https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2025/11/android-de... )
	▲	stavros 9 hours ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		Nah, they rolles that back.
	▲	StopDisinfo910 9 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Certainly not. Google is only mandating signing. That’s already extremely bad but that’s still infinitely better than what Apple offers.

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fainpul 9 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Like sharing your WLAN. It works great between iPhones, if you know how it works and the preconditions are fulfilled (it's undiscoverable). You can't share with Android devices by showing them a QR code – which I would consider the "usual" way and which is easy to do on Android devices.

Edit:

Here is the procedure I was talking about and all prerequisites for it to work:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/102635

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cosmic_cheese 9 hours ago | parent | next [-]

iOS hotspots are discoverable by non-Apple devices if you have "Allow Others to Join" enabled and have the Personal Hotspot settings panel open on the iOS device. Otherwise, it's hidden to help prevent unintended connection attempts.

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rootusrootus 9 hours ago | parent [-]

I suspect they mean sharing the password for a regular wifi network, not running a hotspot.

	▲	Gigachad 2 hours ago \| parent [-]
		That feature hardly works between iPhones anyway. It’s easier to just open the passwords app and show the QR code.

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stavros 9 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

It has never worked for me on iOS. Everyone kept saying "I can just share the password" but the prompt never popped up, and there was no way to do anything.

	▲	rootusrootus 9 hours ago \| parent [-]
		IIRC it only works if you are on their contact list. And I think you need to be in the settings app. Something like that. It's a handy feature but Apple could make it easier to understand, and they could do way better communicating why it isn't working, when it does not work.

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bigyabai 9 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

Bluetooth LDAC would be cool.

	▲	7 hours ago \| parent [-]
		[deleted]