[someotherperson]

How much of a fee do you think you should pay to install applications on your computer? The same amount as that.

Or provide alternative ways to install software.

This is a problem of their own creation.

[chongli]

As soon as you open the door to side-loading, you'll have scammers and data-siphoners force all their users to side-load so that they can completely bypass Apple's privacy controls and security features. The entire iOS ecosystem is built on the App Store review process as a gatekeeper for entitlements and the capabilities they grant (through API access).

How do you solve that problem for side-loaded apps?

[anonymous908213]

Sideloading, AKA "installing software on your device", is something PCs have been handling just fine for decades. It's fine to warn the user when they're going off the beaten trail, but do not lock them in a cage to prevent them from doing so.

If they ignore the warnings and get scammed because they are unable to identify reputable software from disreputable software, they learn a life lesson. Life goes on. There should be no societal expectation that everyone is prevented from ever taking an action that could bring themselves harm, by preventing them from taking actions at all.

[cco]

My precise location data and credit card transactions are freely available on the market.

Just by companies listed on the stock market who got that data "legally" in our current walled and "safe" garden.

I appreciate a lockdown for kids and elders, but let's not pretend our data is locked safely away in this walled garden.

[dreamcompiler]

How is it that I can load MacOS apps from anywhere, and yet they don't "completely bypass Apple's privacy controls and security features"?

[monkmartinez]

Does Apple have an explicit guarantee that apps can not scam or data siphon from an iPhone or iPad app?

[array_key_first]

Apple has literally zero "security features" that rely on the app store.

They do not review source code. There is malware on the Apple app store, because they do not review apps for malware. Because they do not review source code.

Any other opinion is just not true.

[realusername]

Apple gets most of it's appstore money from very shady casino-like game apps which I'm unconfortable giving to my family.

If there's any benevolent gatekeeping, I'm not seeing it.