Have there been examples of Apple creating an app directly for profit based on another app that looks successful?
I've seen Apple buy companies with apps they like, and I've seen Apple bundle new apps into their OS (which I suppose indirectly encourages HW sales), but I feel like most of the Apple entries have been aimed at improving user experience.
And it's not like there aren't a ton of knock off apps splayed across the AppStore that aren't developed by Apple Inc. Frankly, I'd like Apple to somehow take a stronger hand in pruning away the knock offs. Not sure exactly how to do that, and "knock off" is rather subjective, but the proliferation of tiny, crappy, apps is an indication to me that the AppStore reduces rather than increases friction to market.
I'm not watching, so didn't hear the comment, but could he have meant "shelf placement"?