As a hacker, Android feel much more free than before.
Because I can flash whichever ROM on pretty much whichever device I want. (assuming OEM didn't lock down bootloader unlock, which is pretty rare those days) I have my own ROM on small device (kTouch i9), long device (Qin 2 Pro), keyboard device (Unihertz Titan), device with a FLIR and endoscope (Ulefone Armor 9), assistant/speaker (Archos Hello 7), comfortable in hand device (Pixel 5), premium device (ROG Phone 3). Those devices (except those last two) wouldn't ever have seen custom ROM. But here we are, thanks to Project Treble, the same ROM works on all of them without breaking a sweat. Nowadays when I buy a device to hack with, the only question I have to ask is "can the bootloader be unlocked?" (small photo to make my case https://twitter.com/phhusson/status/1308299188153643008/phot... )
As a user, however, it is severely locked down. Installing apps from 3rd party app store was okay-ish years ago. Nowadays, Android just frightens you as much as possible so that you don't install 3rd party apps. The battery thing that has already been mentioned is an issue as well. Nowadays you can't even use an alternate Camera app, you have to stick to whatever OEM gave you.
Jeez. Remind me not to express an opinion on here.
Thank you for the clarification! I haven't had the extra time to tinker with the latest devices since it's a bit outside my day to day. That's a bit more nuanced and it's good to hear from someone who develops on the platform regularly.
As a user, however, it is severely locked down. Installing apps from 3rd party app store was okay-ish years ago. Nowadays, Android just frightens you as much as possible so that you don't install 3rd party apps. The battery thing that has already been mentioned is an issue as well. Nowadays you can't even use an alternate Camera app, you have to stick to whatever OEM gave you.