microG lets you use apps that depend on Play Services without actually having Play Services - it's not complete but most of the common APIs are there.
There are other ROMs, but LineageOS (formerly CyanogenMod) is the only one I personally have experience with.
Yes, Android is open source, but at the end of the day Google is the dominant contributor, so you're still subject to their will... (just like Chromium)
1 https://qz.com/1131515/google-collects-android-users-locatio...
My understanding is that both are open to a similar extent: the kernel is open-source; most of the rest of the system isn’t.
I don’t use or work on android so I could be wrong.
The only closed source stuff is device-specific hardware drivers.
Also, Android the platform is more open than iOS, you can build and install any APK you like and even root your device if you want. iOS restricts you to the app store.
IIRC only two major things aren't included: binary blob-only drivers, and proprietary Google apps: Play store, Maps, etc.
Despite those limitations, you can practically just `git clone` and build the entire OS for your device. :-)
- "Pure" Android from Google (Pixels and co): You end up being controlled by Google and enclosed in their ecosystem. They manage and decide the ToS for everything and you have very little say about it (as this issue proves).
- "Modified" Android from other manufacturers: Full of bloatwares and basically unusable after 6 months
- iPhone: Closed source and managed by Apple. Not a lot of technical options to customize if you don't like the default behavior (An issue I have with every Apple product).
For a non technical person, as a comment said above the iPhone is the best ethical solution. You get what you pay for and there are no shenanigans.
As a technical user however, I feel it is kind of sad to own an iPhone as I like to go deep and being able to modify a lot of settings and behaviors. I simply don't like the overly opinionated way iOS or MacOS handles the user (Which again would be fine for 99% of normal users).