Is Android any different from Windows in that sense?
It's open source in name only. All development is done behind closed doors and essentially dumped out in the open when Google determines it's ready for a release. No one else has say in the development process and you can't contribute changes either.
All the other things you mentioned, can also be done on Windows. I am not sure how that's different than what Windows does/is doing.
1. Most of Android is Open Source - see Amazon Fire, for example. Is there an equivalent of that on windows?
2. MS took apple's approach that everything (on their new platform) must go through the store.
Even if right now they give exceptions, it's as I said above an example of them trying to build market share. Will they have an "Unknown Sources" button when they get 80% of the market?
It's open source in name only. All development is done behind closed doors and essentially dumped out in the open when Google determines it's ready for a release. No one else has say in the development process and you can't contribute changes either.
All the other things you mentioned, can also be done on Windows. I am not sure how that's different than what Windows does/is doing.