Earlier quoted context omitted.
the platform development comes with sale of the platform - which is to say the customer has already paid to have it developed by buying the phone. Many developers don't want to have apple be their gatekeeper for apps. They should be able to have alternatives. Apple's rent seeking behaviour is to take platform development in the cost of the device and again to distribute apps without any alternative.
I agree and this debate is infuriating. They got paid when I bought their hardware. I should owe them nothing more to use the device after that point.
On the other hand, if Apple's model allows them to better compete with others and create a superior product that people want ... well then, it's ridiculous to mandate they should do business a different way.