Or the adb escape hatch. IIRC, their adb equivalent is limited to having a small number of apps installed at the same time, needs each app to be periodically reinstalled at short intervals (IIRC, one week), and you need to have your expensive Apple laptop with you for that reinstall.

Even with Android becoming much more closed, it's still more open than Apple.

I said for my family. I will likely still be buying android for myself, probably the grapheneos one if it comes out.

But for most people, the existing flow to allow external sources is already too much. For other people to install my APKs, while possible, is a slow and painful procese. Add waiting 24 hours? As good as blocked.

Exactly, because now they are identical. And their phones are generally better, the prices now are also comparable or even cheaper.

It seems to me like they mean that Android has now lost its technical advantage, so might as well use the option with the shinier UI.