1) The quality argument has been shown to be utter hogwash. Simply untrue, utterly devoid of rational backing. Read the Ars link I posted for details.
Totally true, one is not better than the other. But when you've got a ton of developers and you want to raise the barrier to entry (and they do) how else should they be doing it? Choosing the apps themselves?
2) All of these companies and developers have been following the rules only to just now have them changed on them for utterly shitty reasons.
Yes that's true. At the same time, that's life. You play in someone else's playground they make the rules. No one forced anyone to be an iphone developer. It's not your RIGHT to be an iphone developer in the same way it's your RIGHT to be a web developer. Remember when the facebook app developer stopped developing for the app store? That wasn't just for show.
3) Apple isn't enforcing their own rules. Lots of apps break the rules yet are allowed on the store. Their rules, at this point, amount to: we're gonna let you in if we like you. That's a pretty crummy rule; hope your business plan doesn't depend on it.
Again, I'm not saying any of this is nice for developers, but hope your business plan doesn't depend on someone else's marketplace.
4) You're missing half the perspective. Apple should be grateful to the developers who have worked their asses off and bent over backwards to satisfy Apple's various restrictions to fill their store with lots of software. If Apple treats them poorly, they'll find developers choosing other platforms.
Sorry but even without the app store the iPhone would still be the number one selling phone. No question about it. The app store is great, but Apple easily could've done it without it. And please don't forget that all of these developers were chasing what was called a "modern day gold rush" - they weren't volunteering their time for Apple. They bent over backwards more than willingly, and continue to do so.
This is software companies outsourcing their marketing to Apple and complaining when the service changes. This is what happens when you don't have control over your business. It sucks.