Long list, I've been meaning to write a blog post.

Would be very interested in seeing the list of things that you feel _aren't_ possible on iOS and aren't things I'd consider extremely "niche" or purely "cosmetic". (Sadly, I'll probably never know if you ever write such a blog post...)

Affordability.

How about not being in a walled garden and actually having access to your device?

Yeah, I hear Android manufacturers and app developers are very encouraging of unlocked bootloaders and user root access.

It's not 2008 anymore, we're all in walled gardens now.

Many people still buy Androids exactly because you can still flash different roms.

Agreed, and I'm one of them. However flagship devices have been neutered, and core (for many peoples lives) apps require significant compromise.

Whilst there are edge cases, the majority of Android users are effectively within a walled garden, which the opposite used to be one of its strongest appeals.

I'd still say it's not a walled garden, as long as you can install f-droid or the amazon app store. I can still access port, torrents, install a rel alt browser etc. It's a significantly less walled garden.