What? The $100 fee has nothing to do with that, and everything to do with the review process. Like, do you seriously believe that makers of all the shitty apps out there can't come up with $100??

Also, Google developer account used to be paid at one point. I have no idea if it still is but when I used to publish in the early days there was a fee to pay. Didn't stop the shitty apps from appearing because....that's not what the fee is for.