> But, at least with Google you can use hardware without the binding software requirement.

For now, but they are tightening things up.

And at least with Apple they provide convenient end-to-end cloud syncing. Google doesn't.

(And this back and forth can go on for a long time...)

You are just picking what is important to you and then ignoring other issues. That isn't how to craft advice that helps people you don't personally know, with needs you are completely unaware of, in a complex domain.