The way I look at it, the base Android OS is free to port to whatever you want/can but to get some commercial Google products like the Play Store and some of their apps, you need to follow some other terms that allow them to make money from these commercial offerings.
Either way, I find it much easier to run a Google-less Android than an Apple-less iOS and somewhat easier than a MS-less Windows. The fact that I don't have to "jailbreak" or otherwise exploit security holes to install software from other sources than the OS maker is a big reason I tend to use Android on mobile devices.
I have to enable "install software from other sources", which opens the door to ANY source other than the Play store. I've got the Amazon App Store on my phone too, and for that to work I have to permit installation from any source. That's downgrading my phone's security.
> Either way, I find it much easier to run a Google-less Android than an Apple-less iOS and somewhat easier than a MS-less Windows. The fact that I don't have to "jailbreak" or otherwise exploit security holes to install software from other sources than the OS maker is a big reason I tend to use Android on mobile devices.
That is true. The difference is most probably the market share and how the OS is licensed to hardware OEMs (iOS is not licensed - Windows Phone I've no idea).
You still have to click the .apk and install it. Same as clicking an .exe and installing it on Windows.
Why would a "Store" made by Joe Random be more secure then downloading an .apk and installing it ?
Cold numbers: http://www.statista.com/statistics/260419/market-share-held-...
As an Android user, I couldn't give less fucks about G+, Hangouts, Music, Books, Sheets, Docs and probably some other me-too product launched by Google and still I have them installed in my phone and Google keeps trying to shove them down my throat. I don't need any of these for the Play store to work, that is the only place I can install software from unless I downgrade my phone's security, but apparently you imply I do.
Also, Tesla is not a de-facto monopoly on several European markets, which is the problem here.
If Apple or Microsoft had >80% of the market and provided the OS needed by every manufacturer (but two), then they could face similar issues.