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Precisely this. You're not locked into a platform on PC / MacOS. On consoles you are. On Apple phones you are.

It’s not locked on Android?

In Android you can sideload apks and even install e.g. F-Droid.

These alternatives are not frictionless but at least they exist.

I can side load apps and install AltStore on an iPhone.

On Android, sideloaded apps can be used indefinitely without an internet connection and there's no limit to how many sideloaded apps you can install