Michael Larabel:

On the protected applications / download authentication support, it goes with what was announced earlier this month at the Linux App Summit 2019 around the GNOME Foundation backing a "pay what you like" model for Flathub where users could donate to the software projects. The GNOME Foundation would be the legal entity behind this donation-based app store. Publishers could set suggested donation amounts and potentially a minimum donation amount in the future.

Great addition. Helps incentivize developers to create open-source software, Gnome is a trustworthy organization to facilitate payments and there's the option for free (as in beer) software to remain just that, which is important for citizens of the “Global South” to have access to high quality software. Seems like a win all-around.