I think this is a fair environment though, Apple wants to vertically integrated technology with limited 3rd party API access, devs might hate it, but I think from a business perspective its a total reasonable strategy and from a consumer perspective I like the tight integration they provide. I think you are wrong about installer on their platform being up for grabs being "much better for society" because I don't think you are considering all of the second and third order consequences.

Consider this passes and then the Facebook app (or, probably even worse, Amazon) immediately becomes an app store. At that point what's to stop them from loading and running literally any arbitrary code on the phone's of everyone who updates the facebook app? Same goes for an "utility class" app where consumers have limited choice of competitors. Sure, technically inclined people might figure it out and try to raise a stink, but I guess I don't feel like the public understanding of this is good enough for this not to end badly? Remember the "Facebook Research" VPN[1]? And as a society we would be trading this massive surveillance liability for... the opportunity for a handful of developers to make a killing creating a competing store? an upper middle class group to make more money? Apple to make less money?

Sorry, but we live in a world of Titans, and me, the little guy, can't really stand up to them. At least for the moment I can stand behind Apple.

[1]https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/29/facebook-project-atlas/?gu...

You're arguing about standing up to titans…by living in the shadow of one?

No? I’m arguing that I can’t stand up to Facebook or Google at all, but Apple can.