The xcode backdoor thing could have been much worse if iOS allowed sideloading for regular users. With the centralized appstore, most users having installed backdoored builds would be auto-updated to clean builds, current backdoored builds would be removed from sale, and new backdoored builds are likely to be blocked during uploads to itunesconnect/app review.
Also, don't forget the whole xcode backdoor fiasco happened because people were installing side-loaded xcode distributions instead of getting it from the mac store. So even where sideloading is and should remain allowed - on the mac - people will click big red "I know what I'm doing" buttons without knowing what they're doing. And that's for people who really should know what they're doing - developers!
Also, don't forget the whole xcode backdoor fiasco happened because people were installing side-loaded xcode distributions instead of getting it from the mac store. So even where sideloading is and should remain allowed - on the mac - people will click big red "I know what I'm doing" buttons without knowing what they're doing. And that's for people who really should know what they're doing - developers!