This does not solve the problem.

If sideloading is available, there will be a nonzero number of developers who choose to provide their app only through sideloading, and eschew Apple's App Store.

Some of these will be doing so merely so they don't have to take the extra effort (or pay the extra money) to submit apps to Apple. No malicious intent, but they still won't be reviewed, so unintentional danger can still get through.

Others will be deliberately avoiding Apple's App Review so they can steal your passwords and spy on your banking apps, or hell, just install a rootkit if there's one available at the time.

And still others will be trying to create commercial-grade apps that provide full functionality, but can violate your privacy without asking permission because that's their business model (particularly Facebook and Google).

And some of these will replace apps that are currently available from the App Store, with all the protections that entails. Particularly Facebook and Google.

For the 1000th time: just don't use those sideloaded apps. Nobody is forcing you to install Facebook or any other trendy app of the day except your own weakness and childishness. The argument goes the other way for actual adults: currently, on android I can only choose between app backup on Google drive, or no backup at all. I cant firewall untrusted apps. or disable intrusive features. With full access (i.e. root) I can do all those things that improve my privacy tremendously. However currently phone manufacturers in concert with Google make it harder and harder to control your own phone. I'm calling out android here because it seems to follow apple regarding the war on general computation.

> just don't use those sideloaded apps. Nobody is forcing you to install Facebook or any other trendy app of the day except your own weakness and childishness.

If we’re going to bring consumer choice into this argument, why can’t the consumer who wants sideloading just vote with their wallet? I’ve yet to read a good argument here for this separation. After all, “nobody is forcing you to buy iPhones except your own weakness and childness.”

You mention how Android isn’t better in that regard, but it’s still an option.

You seem to be confused and looking for Librem 5 or Pinephone. They seriously need audience, users and money to get up to speed to be viable alternative.

In other words: pay for your tools. Configurable tools for pros cost more.

Some people recognize their weaknesses and pick tools accordingly. You want to take this choice away. Please fuck off.

> Others will be deliberately avoiding Apple's App Review so they can steal your passwords and spy on your banking apps, or hell, just install a rootkit if there's one available at the time.

Sideloading and app permissions are orthogonal.

You seem to misunderstand app permissions. A sideloaded app doesn't magically avoid the permission system. If you can steal passwords by installing an app via sideload then there's a huge hole in the security of iOS. You seem hellbent on badmouthing sideloading but seem to have a poor understanding of sandboxes and app permissions. The security against what you mention is supposed to come from iOS - not app review teams.

Your comment makes little sense

But one point that is very clear. You belong to a group of users that enjoy the leverage Apple has on developers, and you want it to stay that way

> there will be a nonzero number of developers

Oh ok. So this has nothing to do with your phone and your choices.

Instead, what you want to do is force other people to do certain things with their own hard work.

Not really sure why you think you should have domain over what other developers do with their own apps.

If you don't like those apps, then don't use them. Problem solved.