[raydev]

Another reply said "censor" which implies speech, but Apple's rejections can be more fundamental.

Have an app you want to ship? Apple gets to decide whether you meet "minimum functionality requirements". You cannot distribute your app to paying consumers without their approval.

Doing something truly unique, perhaps with some hardware in the phone? Apple may decide they simply do not want this feature in an app on the App Store. Which means you cannot distribute your app to consumers.

I'm less concerned about having other "stores," I just want a way to buy apps from legit developers that don't involve Apple dictating look and feel and entire feature sets.

You know, the same way I can purchase and run software on a Mac without Apple being involved in the transaction.