Not to sound too Monty Python, but shouldn't they have at least the right to know these things?
And your example proves the point; because others cared to become the third-party, we have projects like LineageOS for smartphones and tablets. However, they could not have if Google had locked its OS down or restricted it to certain hardware.
Just because most people only want to know the time doesn't mean no one but clock makers should have the right to understand how clocks work.
I just don’t agree with your premise (because you don’t need to know how a Seiko watch works to learn how watches work) or your conclusion (because in the absence of AOSP, projects like Firefox OS might well have been successful).
And your example proves the point; because others cared to become the third-party, we have projects like LineageOS for smartphones and tablets. However, they could not have if Google had locked its OS down or restricted it to certain hardware.
Just because most people only want to know the time doesn't mean no one but clock makers should have the right to understand how clocks work.