Apple's single app store can only exist in the economic distortion created by U.S. government regulation which provide severe penalties for unlocking an iOS device.
If it were not for these regulations, we would see kiosks in Wal-Mart sponsored by EA Games to get a free game by just plugging your iOS device into the kiosk, which would give a free game, unlock your device and install the "Wal-Mart apps store" all in one go.
I wonder why didn't that happen on any of the several "open" mobile platforms beside iOS (including Android)? Or in the cases where they existed (carrier-specific app stores for symbian/javame), is there any case where ANYONE made any money out of it at all?
I work on "this kind of market" since 2003, when there were already millions of smartphones out there. And even now, the Apple Store has been constantly proving as the only successfull app store out there, specially compared to Android and OVI...
I know we love to complain about this, but has this actually happened? Has anyone actually been sued by Apple for jailbreaking? Last I checked, the worst that happens is you void your warranty, and even then, people have restored iOS and gotten warranty service.
Megacorps like Walmart and EA would never order 50,000 kiosks to be built knowing that Apple (or U.S. gov) could get a court injunction within hours of them being deployed.
This is the very nature of rackeeting (in this case the gov being the mob boss). You don't have to actually make good on the threat for it to be effective.
If you still don't believe me, go knock on a few doors on Sand Hill road and pitch just this: "Its like RedBox but for the App Store. We put kiosks at every Walmart and Kroger and install a new App Store". The VCs won't need you to go further and explain your market projections or your team background. They'll have heard enough already.
You may be right, if so, my info is going on 8 months old ;).
I read yesterday that Apple is now blocking use of their store (books was the example) if they detected your phone was unlocked. So now, they're on tack 2. We'll see who has enough money to sue them to stop doing this.
If it were not for these regulations, we would see kiosks in Wal-Mart sponsored by EA Games to get a free game by just plugging your iOS device into the kiosk, which would give a free game, unlock your device and install the "Wal-Mart apps store" all in one go.