Not true, and not really a good comparison because the Android world is enormous with all levels of models (super cheap up to premium). In fact there are projects out there to repurpose these old devices that wouldn't even be possible under the heavy control of a different platform. You can find lots of projects. One interesting one I saw recently was using old Android phones to detect illegal lumber cutting. There also some cool DIY home security projects that make use of older phones. Another that comes to mind is a crypto currency mining setup. You can also use the phones as routers or firewalls for your home. Anecdotally I still have and use an old tablet from 2011 that my kids play on.

To be honest, Android got good around 2013-14, before that it wasn't a best experience.

If you get a galaxy S4 now, it's not the fastest, but perfectly usable phone.