> lockdown mode

That's interesting. I didn't know about lockdown mode. Noting!

> I've installed hosted-profiles (.mobileconfig) files without factory-reset, curious why didn't you go for that route?

Afaik the only way to disable the App Store is to go through this schlep of a factory reset and having Configurator prepare the phone for 'supervision'.

So you don't have to go through the factory reset if you are fine with having the app store? Safari is the only app I need to excise, and the OS won't let me delete it.