> Even more importantly, they need to allow installation of apps via links without requiring an App Store altogether.
No thanks. One of the main reasons I have had my whole family switch to iOS over Android over the past decade is that it's idiot proof. I no longer get a call that someone borked their phone because they followed the "unlimited farmville money with this one simple trick" tutorial that opened pandora's malware box.
> borked their phone because they followed the "unlimited farmville money with this one simple trick" tutorial that opened pandora's malware box
You don't need to pretend OS security models haven't improved in the last 10 years. The App Store isn't the only or even the best protection against malware.
Being able to run arbitrary code on iOS means that all of the other, presently secondary platform security protections (such as sandboxing) now become the first line of defense.
That is not something they were designed to do, and I doubt they would hold up. They're just one piece of the puzzle, and were put in place with the expectation that they would always be behind the App Store automated static analysis steps.
The other issues are push and entitlements. Should every app now maintain its own separate push connection to that app's own servers, or are they expected to get APNS certs from Apple?
How about feature entitlements? Should competing app store apps be notarized by Apple via developer ID, or should running anything, able to access anything (such as installing covert spyware that installs a systemwide spying VPN) be allowed?
There are probably more I haven't even thought of, yet. Maybe "free" apps that you pay for by letting it use your iCloud storage and bandwidth to put you in some giant replicated storage botnet? There are probably all sorts of avenues for abuse of bundled cloud services that open up when Apple can't reject abusive apps that users would otherwise voluntarily install.
You know what is really idiot proof? Cheap Nokia phones. They work very well for people not well-versed in technology. You can even buy a separate digital camera with the money saved.
No thanks. One of the main reasons I have had my whole family switch to iOS over Android over the past decade is that it's idiot proof. I no longer get a call that someone borked their phone because they followed the "unlimited farmville money with this one simple trick" tutorial that opened pandora's malware box.