Also, Google doesn't sell albums, but you can buy music from Amazon or any other store you like and have good sync support instead of being limited to iTunes.
So the question here is “how does Grandma sync content and make full device backups without the cloud?”
It sounds like Google’s option is to implement it yourself. You’ve got to go out and find the right software for your needs and none of it is made by Google.
For full device backups you have to be well-informed enough to enable Android debugging (which, again, is a developer feature and is labeled as such), or to get a third party program like syncthing/rsync. You have to build your sync stack on your own without Google’s help.
That DIY situation fine for a lot of people and it is true that it’s more powerful and open than what Apple gives you. But Apple is selling you a solution that is much more friendly to the average person and represents a complete solution without relying on third party software.
I can tell a 70 year old who refuses to use the cloud how to plug their iPhone into a Mac or PC and take a regular backup without needing to put their data on a cloud. On the Mac you don’t even have to install software, and on the PC the software comes from Apple directly. I don’t have to explain how to tap the build number seven times to enable developer options.
The fact that they let you do via cable so many things that their competitors have deprecated entirely or moved to cloud is commendable. These apps all still support iPods as well.
Tell me how to buy an album from Google and have it automatically sync to your iPhone when it’s plugged in to the computer. No cloud.
Tell me how to make a backup image of your Android phone without touching a Google account. Apple’s sync app can do it for you. Let me guess, you have to use a developer tool that wasn’t intended for the consumer?
Not sure what the hell you're talking about regarding Apple TV.