What is bonkers about that? Apple let 2 consenting parties enter into an agreement and provides a single interface to cancel that agreement whenever you want from their pocket without talking to anyone. I struggle to think of a better setup.
https://www.macrumors.com/2019/04/11/app-store-subscription-...
Do you not see this as plainly duplicitous behavior? I think the intention to deceive is far more cogent than any warnings.
Inherently if you are relying on something to thwart or subvert the intention of the person you are dealing with you are engaging in duplicitous behavior.
I won't make the argument that subscriptions or even auto enroll are necessarily evil if we're shifting focus to less predatory industries, I would judge a given example by how difficult it was to get a refund. I think the top level principle of mirroring ease of subscription to ease of ending such applies here too, with respect to ease of billing for an unused service.
That people forget. That's part of the market of trial and subs in general. Its why gyms flourish. People subscribe but don't go.
They (iOS) have the data that you use or not use the app. They could notify you with a warning that your renewal is due. Or allow you the option to set the reminder in your calendar or bank app.
The pattern-
-hide promised functionality behind subscription.
-offer "free trial", often with very short trial periods.
-convert that into a big dollar subscriptions.
They know that most of the people who they ensnare are probably going through a multitude of tools trying to find a solution for some problem (and the fact the tool in question often fails to do what it promised is a feature because it encourages the user to move on quicker), and some subset will fail to cancel the "trial" before it becomes a pay service.
Consenting adults, sure, and personally I have never fallen prey to this, looking at the in-app purchases and just refusing to be baited, but it's enough of a problem that it should embarrass Apple a bit.