But this is far from the biggest problem in this story.
e.g, if it’s important to be able to access the information available through the app, why is it locked?
Why isn’t that important information available on a regular web site?
Why do you need to install an app before getting emergency medical attention, anyway?
While sideloading might let you work around a broken bureaucracy from time-to-time, that’s not a very effective way to improve the system.
Sympathy will be limited when that country is also a repressive dictatorship, if you have gone there of your own accord.
https://www.amnesty.org.uk/united-arab-emirates-uae-free-spe...
But if you chose to move to a horrible, evil country, then you cannot blame its awfulness on your phone.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_rights_in_the_United_Ara...
This apparent need to push the discussion away from the issue being presented and instead engage in some moral grandstanding on an irrelevant point comes across as suspect.
If you were presented with an example of a walled garden causing distress to someone in a nice, white Western country, you'd presumably rush forward with your sympathy, would you?
Your point here and below have the whiff of committed insincerity off them, but nonetheless, if we take you at face value, a quick search reveals this astonishing quote from https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/justice-safety-and-...
> "UAE's hospitals can handle any medical emergency. During medical emergencies, a hospital will accept you for initial treatment and may transfer you to a hospital better equipped to deal with your problem.
The UAE provides standard medical care and visitors can easily obtain medical treatment from either private or government hospitals. In case of emergency, treatment to stabilise the case is free. Other treatment must be paid for by cash, credit card or insurance."
On the other hand, I think my personal values make me ideologically opposed to locked-down hardware/software that you don't get full control over (with associated freedom/repairability implications) and Apple products are some of the most restricted in that regard.
The current compromise? I'll buy all Apple devices for convenience... once I have enough money to not care.
• The insurance company decided their information can only be accessed via an app, not Apple.
• The insurance company decided their app should be region locked to UAE, not Apple.
It seems like HN bait to turn this into an opportunity for an anti-Apple rant. Anyone who from the US travels abroad frequently will discover quickly that their banking apps are region locked, via the network, and you often have to use a VPN that looks like you are back home in the US to be able to access their apps or services. Apple has nothing to do with any of this. It doesn't matter if you're on iPhone or Android, it's network level.
It's fine to be against this practice, but turning it into something directed to a single company as if it is their responsibility entirely is just... well, at worst, it doesn't seem honest, at best, it seems naive or ignorant.
I hate that it's functionally become the only way to sell things online.
* Just buy an Android if you don't like it
* This is not the Apple way
* My grandma has much better experience this way, because I don't have to some made up reason why this is impossible on Android
* Green bubble
* Much more secure this way
* I don't like when someone has different use case than I do
* It would be even worse on Android
* Think of the kids
Did I forget something?