Viable's not the best adjective for it. Perhaps this is a solution that's convoluted or impractical, too involved. Too enterprise, especially for Apple. Mobile Device Management Solution is not a marketing term or "magical" to the consumer. You're suggesting that an IT feature for provisioning software to employee phones is an obvious or conspicuous choice for how a parent should install or uninstall apps on their kiddo's ipad remotely.
It doesn't have to be that complicated. The difference between what Android and Apple have "had for ages" is that the Android one is a browser based web interface that allows you to search the play store for apps/games/books/music, install/uninstall said item with a click. Your devices are on a drop down list in the website when you click install.
I'm forced to use iPhone for my job as well, so looking for a solution to this issue is how I found this thread. So sorry to reawaken the zombie.