Granted, there are some groups which use Google Docs or such to coordinate, so I still have to have a Google account, but this is somewhat optional. And Google Play is pretty nice if you have a cellphone -- but on the older Android tablets I keep them account-less and use F-droid/random APKs from the web instead.
A much concerning thing IMHO is a Facebook requirement -- I am missing a number of events when I tell people I don't use Facebook. Hopefully it will change one day, but I am not holding my breath.
(And re the original article, you only need Google/Apple account if you want to use cloud sync. I am not quite sure how the system will work, but I suspect that with Android, you might either have alternative clouds (like Samsung's cloud), or may be able to use your own service, or sync via wired cable to PC)