I think they see them as different for historical reasons. The Mac is a computer and the iPhone is an appliance, so the differences makes sense to them.

Also they tried to retrofit the App Store onto the Mac, it’s a joke compared to what they seem to have thought it would become. Yeah there is software, and I use it, but for many reasons it’s far less successful than it should have been if done well.

> It frankly doesn't matter how Apple feels about it at the end of the day, there's only compliance and noncompliance.

I agree. Some people see the CTF and can’t imagine why they’d create it. I’m just trying to explain what I (and others) have suggested was the reason. It makes sense and is just given their seeming point of view.

Problem for them is no one else, even huge fans, seems to agree.