If I want to spin up a CI/CD pipeline to build an Android app that takes 30 seconds. I send you or anyone else the link and you can test it out.

With Apple I need to beg for my dev account to be approved, pay 100$ a year, and submit it via test flight.

If more than X numbers of people use it , ohh no I have to publish it via the app store. If it pleases King Cook, may I publish a game for my friends to play.

Google is starting to restrict Android too, custom system roms aren't as popular anymore, but theirs still a sense it's my phone.

With Apple, it's still Apple's phone, you've just purchased a revokable license to use it in accordance with the terms you agreed to.