

Apple Allows the World’s Most Popular Bitcoin Wallet Back Into Its Store - ISL
http://www.wired.com/2014/07/blockchain-back/

======
ceejayoz
> Today, he acknowledges that Apple’s about-face could be related to changes
> in the regulatory environment, but he thinks Apple’s new attitude comes down
> to one thing: Android.

I'd imagine nearly no one is buying Android phones because you can get a
Bitcoin app for them. Chances are good Apple's lawyers said "shut it down, we
need to figure this out first" and this is the end result. No conspiracy
theories required.

~~~
Alupis
> I'd imagine nearly no one is buying Android phones because you can get a
> Bitcoin app for them.

No, they're buying Android phones for just about every other reason (approx
80% marketshare according to IDC [1])

[1] [http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-v-android-market-
share...](http://www.businessinsider.com/iphone-v-android-market-share-2014-5)

~~~
coldtea
Most of the "reasons" being money. Android phones are mostly sold to the
"unwashed masses" who just want a cheap phone and get some low/medium spec
Android phone with their contract.

You cannot really compare something sold in 200 models and 50 price points to
something sold in 5 models and 5 price points. It will be like saying people
buy more Toyotas than Mercedes. Well, of course they do.

Here's another data point: this 80% of marketshare is reversed when
considering profits.

~~~
Alupis
> Here's another data point: this 80% of marketshare is reversed when
> considering profits

Actually, not true. iOS only controls about 52.7% of the revenue share --
however Android has been creeping up every quarter and now places like Forbes
and BusinessInsider are predicting Android will overtake iOS in revenue share
in not too long.[1]

[1] [http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-revenue-
android-2014-4](http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-revenue-android-2014-4)

------
dgarrett
Be warned, the security of this app is not great. It stores your
Blockchain.info password and your app's PIN in plaintext on your phone,
retrievable over USB. It also stores an encrypted copy of your Bitcoin wallet
right next to the plaintext password (which can be used to decrypt the
wallet). I haven't checked, but I imagine these files might be included in
iTunes backups of the device too.

The sandbox keeps it safe from other apps, but you are 100% insecure on a
jailbroken device.

They did add a new PIN lock to the app, but again this is not used to encrypt
your private key and is only a UI lock.

~~~
interpol_p
That does sound pretty poor. However, if the app stores its data in /Documents
and you have a lock on your phone (preferably complex passphrase / touch ID)
then the app's data should be encrypted on your device.

~~~
0x0
Didn't the recent "scandal" about those usb "backdoor" services show that this
isn't good enough; you need to set those explicit NSFileProtectionComplete
attributes?

~~~
superuser2
The usb "backdoor" applies only to computers you have specifically authorized
by unlocking the phone and tapping "trust this computer." If you can unlock
the phone, you could just transfer yourself the contents of the bitcoin wallet
anyway.

~~~
dgarrett
Well, if you have access to an unlockable phone, this would get you access to
the Blockchain app's data despite the app's PIN lock.

------
tzs
Perhaps this time they didn't blatantly violate Apple's rules by including
major functionality that was completely hidden until enabled on the server,
and not turning that on until after review. Apple wants to review the app
users are going to see.

Previous discussion from back when that happened:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7194085](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7194085)

------
newman8r
they are very wary of any app that could be using digital currency to act as
"in-app-currency" which undermines apple's in-app-purchases

~~~
ceejayoz
Oh, bull. It'd be significantly easier to use credit cards for IAP than
Bitcoin. Apple prevents this easily with the _review process_.

~~~
newman8r
yes, they require using IAP and will reject any app trying to circumvent it.

I was just making the point that apple is allowing wallet apps but they're
still not approving (to my knowledge) any apps that let you replace IAP
functionality with crypto transfers.

