I can still cancel all my subscriptions on iOS services in one place, very easily, all the same way. I still only have to trust one big, reasonably competent & responsible entity with my money when making a purchase decision, rather than trying to evaluate things on a case-by-case basis with every little two-person indie development shop. I don't have to figure out a different checkout flow for every app or service I buy on iOS. There aren't even two of them! Just one. Consistent, fast, and I trust it (well enough).

Apple's overall ecosystem still does a lot to make people feel comfortable & safe saying "yes" to a purchase and installing some software from a developer they've never heard of, even if the curation and presentation could be a lot better (but would just invite more waves of "waaaaah Apple won't let my derivative, inferior, somewhat-scammy app in the store, it's so unfair!" posts on HN, to great acclaim)

It’s like they walled-in the garden, look only at the walls when there’s a problem, and meanwhile the scammers are parachuting in.

The counterfactual isn’t that there’s no gardener and things are the same, in the counterfactual with no gardener things are even worse.

To make a lot of money.

Once you're trapped inside their walled garden, they make you call it fertilizer and speak of its virtues.

Same reason Amazon doesnt care if they people sell counterfeit items, everyone makes money.