[gilgoomesh]

The argument to force side loading is the argument that Apple are using market position in phone hardware sales to control, and profit from, the adjacent market of software that runs on phones.

Yes, you can run software on phones via a web browser. But Apple largely control the features of the web browsers that run on phones, too, and arguably limit those features so that browser apps are never quite as good as native apps.

This is "gatekeeping" and while it isn't illegal in all jurisdictions, it is anti-consumer, hence the consumer backlash.

[bamboozled]

If you don’t like it buy a “fair phone”. There is some freedom of choice here too. I want the freedom to choose a locked down phone for my family and myself to use without worrying about it being hacked.

I write this as someone who is a major open source contributor and advocate. There are somethings I just want to work, and my primary phone is one of them. I have other play devices.

I haven't checked in some time but why don't you just jailbreak your iphone if you want it to be "yours".

[_imnothere]

> without worrying about it being hacked

Are you implying that iPhone isn't "hackable"?

[bamboozled]

Under normal usage the answer is extremely rarely. I can't say the same for the myriad of various Windows and Android phones me and my family have had hacked over the years.

I can totally imagine "side loading" meaning, my mother gets scammed into installing some malware and losing her savings.