Theoretical counterexample: “Introducing the Facebook App Store for iPhone users; now the only way to get Facebook.app/WhatsApp/Instagram on your phone, and without any of that pesky app tracking transparency.”
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(As a disclaimer, I’m personally strongly in favour of side-loading, but I recognise how this will make things worse overall for everyone else)
That could still be maintained with side-loading though?
If the side-loaded app wants access to the GPS location, then the only way to get it is though the OS Location API which is what presents the Permission Dialog.
The same goes for any other permissions.
As part of the side-loading, any permissions that will be requested within the App could be presented to the user by the OS.
The first-half: a declaration of requested sandbox permissions is a technological problem with a straightforward solution, while the second-half is a soft, squishy, "human" problem.
At the same time, malware still manages to sneak into the Apple app store.
The walled garden gives a false feeling of security while at the same time placing in bondage all those even vaguely connected to the platform.
However, Apple playing both sides by saying the App Store is beneficial for users and also requiring a large % from developers doesn't sit right with me.
Amazon Shopping has been on the Play Store from at least 2014 onwards [1].
[1] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.amazon.mSh...
And you have the real world where Facebook did not demanded Android users to enable side loading to install their application, so this is FUD.