So your on record for dev distribution freedom trumps consumer convenience and protections.
Via the Apple store:
- All apps are in one place, easy to view competing apps :: consumer convenience
- All apps are required to report data collection practices :: consumer protection
- All app purchases and IAP run through a single payment processor :: consumer convenience and protection
- App updates happen through a single app store experience :: consumer convenience
Via alt-stores/alt-payment processors:
- Apps are scattered to countless individual sites or smaller stores :: not convenient at all, my PC and Mac app experience sucks compared to iOS
- Apps are no longer required to detail data collection practices :: protections lost
- App purchases and IAP are scattered amongst countless processors :: protections lost
- App updates will be scattered to multiple web sites or multiple store apps like Steam, Amazon, Microsoft, etc.
None of the alt-store experiences seem consumer friendly to me. Devs are also free to not product apps for iOS, if they want distribution freedom the write for Android, PC or Mac.