Well, it's important to make the distinction between the Play Store and Google Services (the software). Plenty of things _depend_ on Google Services, some of them you have no option, like bank apps.

It's true however that you can use microG to replace Google Services, but even then some banks will block your account upon doing that (happened to me).

Granted, this really is a completely different point to what you were discussing, and I do agree with you. But, if we want truly open ecosystems, we need standards that ensure the authenticity of the user. Unfortunately, that gets distopian fast.

I really don't know what to think of all of this.