The best of both worlds is possible. I can install $StrictGNULinuxDistro with very strict policies about software freedom and quality and so on; and then if I want to, I can add Flathub, $OtherFlatpakRepo and/or $ThirdPartyDebOrRpmOrWhateverRepo as well.

Gatekeeping may be a feature or a bug depending on your opinion, but we don't all have to have the same priorities for our software repos, because we can each choose which repos we use.

Yeah because flatpacks are a joy to use. /sarc The older I get, the less time I have to fumble around with crappy user interfaces on half assed software. I’m far more willing to pay, or even used closed source software because it gets the job done, and sparks joy.

No, people buy iPhones because they’re perceived as cool phones. And they are; the hardware is amazing, the software is ok, the freedoms... don’t concern a lot of users.

No. I used an iPhone for years because it was the only way to participate in iMessage group chats and Android had the same issues iOS had. Most people are using the iPhone because they have no other real choice, giving them freedom would be a good thing put I've personally given up all hope for both the platform and the company that created it.

Someone could make a super-strict android app store where developers must pay $X per year to be listed and every app update is closely vetted. Nobody can make an F-droid for non-jailbroken iPhones.