"Though in my opinion, most iOS apps would be easier to write in a managed language"
Maybe, but just as you can not easily dismiss C++ because so many people have written so many successful programs in it, it is difficult to dismiss all of the great software from Apple, and arguably the largest library of software for mobile devices in the App Store, written in Objective C.
You point out the resource constraints that make C++ superior to Objective C and other languages for drivers and embedded systems. Similarly, I suspect Objective C gives Apple the right trade offs for writing sophisticated software for mobile devices that is responsive, uses memory effectively, and does not kill battery life.
FWIW, I agree that it's not a black & white issue, and I don't have an immediate suggestion for a replacement language that would be better than Objective-C in every aspect.
Maybe, but just as you can not easily dismiss C++ because so many people have written so many successful programs in it, it is difficult to dismiss all of the great software from Apple, and arguably the largest library of software for mobile devices in the App Store, written in Objective C.
You point out the resource constraints that make C++ superior to Objective C and other languages for drivers and embedded systems. Similarly, I suspect Objective C gives Apple the right trade offs for writing sophisticated software for mobile devices that is responsive, uses memory effectively, and does not kill battery life.