Mobile devices have insane potential, but we are essentially stuck with Google's design choice monopolies, rendering the OS consumer-friendly but a terrible experience for power users.

What's worse, there is no viable alternative to it, though some tries have been made.

The default Android phone comes with loads of bloated and useless apps that spy on you. Unlocking bootloader, installing a custom ROM, installing all your favorite apps is a long and painful process (some vendors take weeks to approve your unlock request).

All of these, in the name of a platform which is'open-source'.

the latest versions of android has virtually all data collection options enabled, and virtually every app from the keyboard to the phone app is trying to phone home constantly. Google has become increasingly privacy hosile and they're trying to get as much information as possible from the end user.

You have to make an effort to get ROMs without GAPPS and even then, Google is making changes to the OS prevent things like MicroG from succeeding.