It's completely normal to make some features, even the whole app paid, but I think the developer should be upfront about it. In no modern app store it would even be a viable thing to do. No one to regulate the homebrew, though. I dislike a lot of blawar's decisions, but it's his software, he is entitled to do what he sees fit.
Nowhere on the official site it says that some features are paid. In the app it lists SX OS license exclusive features, but who would want to touch that with a ten foot pole?It's obvious that blawar has some kind of agreement with SX OS hence the whole “BEST™ OS, TOP© USER EXPERIENCE®” thing. Which he presents as a fact that is as far from reality as it could be. If it's meant to encourage me to buy SX OS license—it's doing the opposite. “I'm affiliated with Team Xecuter, I had an app that I was providing for free, but then I update it and decide to make some features paid, it's totally OK, buy SX OS, totally cool guys, my bros”. The only thing it does, it makes me to suspect that the next update for SX OS would be paid or something in that matter. Since they encourage such behavior (I don't know if you came up with this genius “promotion” by yourself or was it in any way coordinated with Team Xecuter), or at least don't discourage it, anything could be expected from them, too.
But, come on. Who would pay for Tinfoil on such conditions? You either have to buy a license to be a certified corsair (aka external drive ROM loading) or donate to HBG (which is not such a bad thing, I guess). It's the most ridiculous ass backwards business model I've ever heard of.
Be upfront about it, take money in some normal way, so people clearly know what they are missing and what money buys them. Otherwise it looks like a confusing dick move.
You are looking too deep into it. It is really this simple: atmosphere causes problems for users, who cause problems for me. Especially Kosmos / Hekate users. I am not of the belief that everyone should have a "totally open" and "configurable" CFW, especially one that isnt configured correctly out of the box like Kosmos, because this invariably leads to newb mistakes. Everytime a new firmware drops, I get flooded with reports from Kosmos users. Honestly, to avoid drama from banning kosmos, I likely just wont post many, if any, updates to Tinfoil and focus on SXOS exclusive software.