The reviewing process done by apple still applies to them.
And where did you heard iOS is free from viruses?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pegasus_(spyware)
From the top of my head there's also AdThief and AceDeceiver.
Not only that but App store is full of Anti-virus offerings.
They don't block, and you can disable scanning fully.
It's not.
Part of the appeal about iOS for me is that apps are reviewed for quality and don't have obvious scams or spywear inside.
I'm happy to guide my parents to use and download apps from the app store without worrying about it. Compare this to the constant education and guidance I need to provide about websites, phone calls, text messages etc. The amount of targeted scams and spam we receive nowadays is excessive.
I think this is the problem: people want access to the 'app store' while forgetting/ignoring that the tight security and rigid processes are a feature, not a liability.
You shouldn't be. There have been plenty of scams in the App Store.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuson%E2%80%93Moss_Warranty...
Now I do agree that bad software can wipe all your data or hold it hostage, but Apple currently provides no such guarantees that software downloaded from the App Store won't do that.
Now you're suggesting that there ought to be a "warranty void if app is installed" sticker on Apple's supposedly premium hardware which is running Apple's supposedly hyper-secure operating system, otherwise some unwashed piece of software is going to damage it?
No such requirement exist on macOS, for obvious reasons. The double-think in these threads is astounding, repent.
Furthermore, claiming that Apple's review or signing processes are effective measures for preventing malware has no basis in reality. Apple has reviewed, approved and signed malware before, and they'll do it again because detecting malware is borderline impossible.
They do not possess magic powers that can suss out malware any better than industry average because (1) automated virus scanning is almost entirely ineffective against new malware and (2) they're not paying a team of specialists to reverse engineer and analyze app updates.