What is the killer app people are sideloading these days? For people to get onboard they need to feel like they are really missing out on something they find valuable. iOS doesn't have sideloading (outside of some TestFlight loopholes), and I don't see anyone is real life talking about it. It's just activists for this kind of thing online.
I don't think the average user feels like they are really missing anything, which makes it a hard sell.
I am not the average user, but my key apps are ReVanced, Termux, OsmAnd. All sideloaded. I am on a Pixel 9XL.
I definitely fly less now, because I am tired of the Orwellian circus at the airports. I guess same mechanism will reduce my smartphone use
It could also make jailbreaking more commonplace, which on the Android side has died down in recent years because sideloading is enough for most users.