[lowbloodsugar]

>I don't think anyone would deny that Apple has a formal monopoly

If Apple has monopoly here then Best Buy has a monopoly too. Everything you buy in Best Buy is priced according to Best Buy. You can't walk into a Best Buy and say "Oh, I already paid for it on Sony's website, so I'm just here to pick up the TV".

[johnnyanmac]

My above comment was talking about IOS and the mobile market overall (of which it has some half of market, give or take a percentage), not the App Store.

Even then, if we focus on stores: Google with multiple stores still does have a play store monopoly (formal, arguably legal given current lawsuits) on Android OS. And on top of that, the EU rulings with Apple mean your metaphor may not be as farfetched as you make it seem.

These aren't based on my opinions so much the fact that both OS are under legal fire. So I wouldn't dismiss this so easily.