The $100 isn't just required for the things published to the AppStore.
It's required for a sideload app in the EU. It's required to make a testflight app that isn't discoverable on the app store, but people can opt-in to running (though apple still heavily restricts what apps you can publish via testflight, it's not a substitute for sideloading).
> There is no reason for it to be polluted with everyone’s throwaway side projects.
Too late for that, the app store already has a huge amount of trash on it.
If apple insists that the appstore is the only way to get software on a computer in my pocket which I paid for and own, then yes, they are obligated to let me put trash on it.
If apple won't let people put anything on it (as they don't), then they should be obligated to let me install devices in another way.
It's already incredibly silly that if I want to just have my own simple app (like idk, a native app that lets me upload a photo to my personal archive over a custom protocol I use), I have to jump through hoops as if I want the whole world to use it, even if I never intend for anyone outside literally just me to touch it.
It’s a phone, not a computer. It’s not sold as a platform for developers to tinker around doing whatever they want. It’s primarily a lifestyle device and businesses can produce apps for it. That’s it. You don’t get to put your own software on everything that has a computer in it: cars, consoles, appliances, etc.
Even more of an argument for free sideloading then. Ping your friends a URL, they click it and can install your app. All without the need for an App Store.
