"Courage"
Not budging an inch on sideloading or alternate stores. This is a company operating in fear. Fear that they are unable to compete on features, experience, and reputation. What have they become?
Is designing a discounted, crippled store experience what motives Apple executives? The best use of their time and attention?
What Apple should do:
(1/2)
2/2
1. Allow sideloading and alternate stores. No fees, no buts. Worldwide.
2. Keep their cut at 15%/30%. Make it the best store possible. Courage.
3. Offer a discount not for a crippled store but for apps that pass a high bar of user experience: State saving, proper notification management, full use of platform features (windowing, focus APIs, etc), perfect adherence to the HIG, and no dark patterns. Make being in Apple's store mean something. "The power to be your best" as Apple once said.
Jeff Tyrrill
Buck