> Perhaps if running unsigned apps became more widespread, businesses will spring up in the space to offer secure, curated apps as third-party app stores.

They should go ahead and do that, then make an OS and mobile devices built around their store, so I have an option other than iOS devices when I want someone in my life who's not a tech nerd to have a reasonably safe and usable computing experience that's still very robust and doesn't require any work on my part. That would be competition and improved consumer choice.

I want more options that deliver the experience Apple does (or better! Please!) rather than fewer. That's the choice I want. I've got tons of only-nerds-can-use-them-safely computing options. I don't need more of those.

Why would John Q. Public trust a third party over the manufacturer of their device?

Why would anyone want to download Firefox or Chrome when you can just surf with IE?

Microsoft didn't make the computer, and has no incentive to ensure a high quality UX.

Apple cares about their hardware customers and fosters a well-earned trust. The AppStore rules are a huge part of the foundation of that trust.

But Microsoft made the OS, hence why shouldn’t the user trust their neatly-integrated browser? The analogy still holds.

Apple is a hardware company that wants to ensure the best possible UX for their customers, and does so by vetting the software that gets installed on their hardware products.

What's Microsoft's parallel motivation in your analogy?

So you're saying that a software company that makes operating systems, and has the incentive to want programs that run well on the said OS, has no interest in wanting its users to be locked into the browser they also make?