There is however a precedent of this model that has worked well and as far as I know never been successfully challenged, game consoles. Game consoles could be general purpose computing devices if it where not for the manufactures limiting the applications to just games and going to great lengths to discourage side loading.

Apples App store and approval process is basically an online version of the classic game console model with much cheaper entry fees for developers and must less restrictive rules.

All the reasons why game consoles have been successful vs PC gaming apply to Apples success, lower piracy, less problems for users, less complexity for developer because of controlled hardware and software platform. All the same limitations apply as well.