> Play store and all the Google apps is very definitely not free.
You keep repeating this, yet all the public knowledge on this subject (leaked docs) suggests that Google apps are free as in beer. Not only are they free, but OEMs are willing to jump hoops (contract with Google) get the $0 Google apps. Do you have any sources that say Google sells it's apps to OEMs?
>but OEMs are willing to jump hoops (contract with Google) get the $0
So OEMs pay Google for contracts and the only reason to get these contracts is to get access to the apps, but the apps are free? Sounds like paying Google for the apps.
Do you have any citations (even semi-official) that support the idea that OEMs pay Google for the contracts? The leaked OEM contracts[1] did not support your hypothesis (to be fair, they do not discount it either).
You keep repeating this, yet all the public knowledge on this subject (leaked docs) suggests that Google apps are free as in beer. Not only are they free, but OEMs are willing to jump hoops (contract with Google) get the $0 Google apps. Do you have any sources that say Google sells it's apps to OEMs?