App Store was never a totally level playing field either. Amazon Prime Video got a discount on App Store fees[0]. FaceBook[1] and Uber[2] did things for which they got a slap on the wrist. If a less-important developer did that, they would have been banned from the App Store forever.

[0] https://www.theverge.com/2020/7/30/21348108/apple-amazon-pri...

[1] https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/30/18203551/apple-facebook-b...

[2] https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/23/15399438/apple-uber-app-s...