This is just wrong. Historically application platforms charged for developer tools and support. You had to buy new tools regularly to access new OS features and

This is just wrong. Historically application platforms charged for developer tools and support. You had to buy new tools regularly to access new OS features and you had to pay for documentation or human support. The commission model just flipped the fee structure, which is arguably better for everyone because the upfront costs were a barrier to entry and disincentivized free apps.