> Once alternate app stores or other enforced reduction in apple's abilities to enforce and police app store policy are in place,

We don't need to imagine that scenario, that's Android, and Google still definitely holds massive control with it's play store rules.

> All I'm saying is that having alternate app stores, whilst it brings a lot of upside, does bring downside, and that is (presumably) what the defenders of apple are trying to warn you about: Those downsides.

So go ahead and pick your examples from the Android world.