I agree with what you're saying...mostly. However, there IS a problem with devices that ONLY meet the requirements in buggy ways due to manufacturer alterations/additions. Its silly to ignore this problem and claim it doesn't exist.
Android has compatibility tests, and they keep growing in scope and value. OpenGL ES 2.0, for instance, demands certain givens that some devices don't actually meet -- those devices should be removed from OpenGL ES 2.0 compatibility (which, as a manifest directive, would eliminate most games from being available).