* Improve App Store search results
* Remove the top lists and blunt the 'rich getting richer' effect the lists amplify
* Put their share of App sales on sliding scale, so you only start giving Apple the full 30% after you've reached $X in sales
And if you update the app, the reviews reset -- which gives developers an extreme disincentive to keep their app updated, especially during the long tail period.
* That will just amplify the effect of featured apps and then you lose all meaningful organic app discovery and a large chunk of the meritocracy of the store.
* Great but that will probably not make a huge difference.
2) Maybe you're right, I'd still like to see Apple try it.
3) It doesn't have to be a huge difference for it be worth doing. A lot of little positive changes will add up.
<terms> site:itunes.apple.com
and then using that to drive their app search results.