for a non-trivial amount of people because they or their peers use ios exclusive software already. There are only two major smartphone operating systems, and countless of walled gardens and exclusive features. So depending on circumstance, it's very easy to basically be forced to pick into an ecosystem.
Choice is a reasonable argument on the laptop market nowadays, the smartphone market fundamentally lacks choice and competition, at least at the ecosystem level.
not necessarily - I don't have an iPhone right now and I'd still attack Apple on that. Negating me this right would be the same that saying that as a french I couldn't go to protests against Guantanamo.
It's not a choice when there are very limited handset operators available.
Market power is a very real thing.
I suggest that the overwhelming majority of iOS users would opt to be able to download apps out of the App store if this were an option.
Btw, another popular argument defending Apple is "Sideloaded apps will defraud users by tricking them into giving payment information and stealing funds" - but Apple already defrauded their users by selling them the device and next blocking them from using it in any way they want.
If a user wants to run an app on iOS device, and apps developer wants a user to run this app, it should not be Apple's business to stop them from doing it.
Which is of course possible, has been for a long long time, and doesn’t require Apple or AppStore approval. It’s even free to do if you don’t mind repeating your steps weekly.
You made the first choice, if the choice does not permit you to do what you want then you have made an incorrect choice. Apple did not choose you, you chose Apple.
I willingly bought my last iPhone knowing the restrictions of the App Store and it did not bother me. If it did I could have easily bought any of the Android phones or at the time Windows phones. If you bought an Apple device knowing the restriction why did you make the choice anyway?