You already can side load apps. Just buy an Android device. I liken this to people who buy a house near an airport then lobby to get the airport closed because they do not like the noise. I bought into IOS because of the walled garden and without it some app that I would prefer to get through the sanctioned app store will now only be available by side loading.
> I liken this to people who buy a house near an airport then lobby to get the airport closed
Well, no, in this case it’s the government going to see the pseudo-monopolist and telling them: "Party is over. There is going to be some competition there from now on." Something I most definitely cheer for.
> There is going to be some competition there from now on.
there already is competition- it’s called Android based phones. This is more akin the government telling Walmart they have to freely give shelf space away to anyone and everyone to sell anything they want.
> I don't understand why so many act as Apple apologists and feel the need to justify the current situation.
Who’s acting as an apologist? I prefer it the way it is. It’s not like you don’t have a choice. If you want a device that offers the ability to sideload go buy an Android. I appreciate the fact that if anyone wants to offer an app on IOS they MUST go through the official app store to do so. Lets say for instance an app that I must have (example only) Facebook Messenger. Now that they (Facebook) can sideload they stop offering it in the app store. Now anyone that really needs that app either must sideload it or not have it. You think Facebook is going to honor all of the good privacy controls that IOS currently enforces?
That is a huge disservice to those that like the walled garden. It forces companies that want a presence on IOS to comply.
In this scenario Walmart is one of only two stores in the country, and while Walmart usually pays a few bucks for shelves, the merchants in question are happy to bring their own. They just need Walmart to get out of the way, not incur any real cost.
You already can side load apps. Just buy an Android device. I liken this to people who buy a house near an airport then lobby to get the airport closed because they do not like the noise. I bought into IOS because of the walled garden and without it some app that I would prefer to get through the sanctioned app store will now only be available by side loading.