People expect to have root access to their computers. That has always been the standard and Apple can't change it. People don't generally expect to have root access to their phones. Apple is largely responsible for establishing that standard.
Carrier-locked phones with appstores were the standard long before iPhones came out. See: crappy verizon flip-phones with the BREW store. Fair enough that people might not remember them so well though, because there was literally nothing worth buying on any of them.
