Because mobile computers are the antithesis of personal computers -- you don't get to really own and control the very expensive device you bought. That people accepted this is an example of how truly powerless (or just ignorant) consumers are.
Mobile phones have been able to bring computation to the masses, including poor countries. PCs were a luxury item even in the Western World.
Accessibility and standardization have been the driver of this change, not customization.
After all, mobile phones are now sort of a mass product like TVs back then. No one really "owned" a TV either.
You can call these masses ignorant, but I think most just want to live a good life with a handy tool that works.
Apple pulls police-tracking app used by Hong Kong protesters after consulting authorities - https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/apple-pulls-police-tracki...
That word is blackli^Wblocklisted in Google developer documentation style guide.
20-25 years ago, "you" (whoever was able to run software, as well as whoever had momentary physical access) got to really control the expensive device "you" (the buyer) bought. That wasn't so great for the buyer, and it would have been even worse now. That naïve security model would not do well against today's sophisticated threats.
IMO, the android/iphone state is a clear improvement, and we're not going to get another improvement until the people who dislike the current state stop confusing "you" and "you". Only then will we get enough clear thinking on the subject to work out another improvement.