> I think your argument is invalid, because i.e. Epic wouldn't want to share a buildable XCode project of Fortnite with you. They could share an installer that

> I think your argument is invalid, because i.e. Epic wouldn't want to share a buildable XCode project of Fortnite with you. They could share an installer that downloads and copies their binaries. Not too different from what many game publishers do on PC. I'm not sure whether the main barrier to people doing this is the $99/year fee, or the friction associated with setting up a developer account, or the perceived (and real) risk of getting malware if customers made a habit of doing this. But an iPhone in the US already costs $1000 over say 5 years, plus several hundred per year in carrier costs. I could entertain an argument that an extra $99/year to have an effectively unlocked device is not exorbitant or anticompetitive. If you think it is...would you still think so at $49? Or $9? The revenue Apple get from that must be insignificant compared to the app store.