The big difference being that Android is an Open Source project, so you can build an Android phone with all of the OEM spyware removed. The same cannot be said for, say, iOS. You just have to be happy with it, backdoors and all.
There are Android SOCs that have complete functionality without proprietary firmware or external drivers. Many that do "require" proprietary drivers can be booted without them anyways.
Do you have any examples of spyware drivers that inherently prevent you from booting AOSP on compatible hardware?
You're right. China only reports ~70 requests[0] for account access biannually, the United States is truly in another class with our 6,646 some-odd requests[1] for account access. Don't even get me started on the 4,500+ requests for device access, on top of the undocumented bruteforce entries with Greykey and suspect manipulation.
If you're convinced that Apple would bend the knee in China but not the US, you should take another look at FIVE-EYES and PRISM. Transparency is the only sane security model in a post-Snowden world. Insinuating otherwise without presenting accountable proof is what we call security theater.
When Apple publicly holds double standards for multiple countries, what makes you so certain they're not doing the same where you live?
Samsung, Google, and Microsoft are spyware companies.
Just because a large sum of people are "okay" with it, doesn't mean it isn't spyware.