Unfortunately I think it'll be much worse in the coming years with Google's ban on ban sideloading apps and other companies following them.

For whatever reason I don't sweat that condition in Apple land, but I do find it very worrisome to see Android land forego side-loading.

it was upfront disclosed in Apple land in that I knowingly know this to be true and do not expect it as a feature but it is a surprise new condition with no notice in Android land that makes it such worrisome action

Ever since the Pixel 2, the Android phones put out by Google have been long lasting. I have a Pixel 2 XL that still works just fine and it's now 8 years old. Doesn't get OS updates but it works.

Choose phones supported by LineageOS where the bootloader can be unlocked, and you can easily outlast iOS.

I used to do this back when I was on Android and official updates only lasted 1-2 years. Now I’m on an iPhone I get official OS updates for such a long time I don’t need to worry about flashing custom roms.

My experience just with the hardware doesn't match that. My android devices just tend to fail over time more often than iPhones.

Granted, there's PLENTY of other good reasons to make that choice even with that condition. So I don't disagree generally.

Can't say my experience matches yours, either. I too have a box of unsupported mobile devices; the stuff I can do on an Android device clears every iOS one. I can't install apps on iOS without a desktop and a specific unsupported iTunes client. I can only use a subset of iOS functions.

My Android phones still do everything they say on the tin. Regardless, you've worded your entire argument to be orthogonal to my original point so it's clear you're not arguing in good faith. Nothing you ever said was related to the principles I mentioned, just what you consider to be personally valuable. Which is fine, but akin to responding to a health food nut by saying how great burgers taste.