You have highlighted my issue with this whole DMA situation. Every Android phone I have used has felt like privacy invading garbage (except maybe the nexus 4), yet I don't think they should be off market. I simply use an iPhone instead.
Instead of the DMA being pro-consumer, I read it as anti-business (probably US business). It feels created out of EU jealously of the US tech industry, and secondarily a way to help EU companies. Consumers will likely end up worse off, which I reminded of every time I visit the EU have to dismiss cookie banners on every damn site.
There are a good number of "Android devices" which I can unlock the bootloader (or comes already unlocked from factory) and install another ROM. Done, no more "privacy invading garbage".
That is virtually impossible to be done with any Apple product.
> It feels created out of EU jealously of the US tech industry
If it feels like that for you I recommend checking your emotional state, the EU has a different approach to regulating businesses than the USA, it's not jealousy but different principles aiming for different outcomes than what the USA aims for.
> Instead of the DMA being pro-consumer, I read it as anti-business (probably US business).
You've criticised the DMA twice about being: a bad implementation, and now as anti-business. Yes, it is anti a specific case of business which in the EU's view is not aligned to the outcomes it wants in the economy, calling the EU anti-business is, at best, naïve, since it's an organisation focused first and foremost to deal with commerce and business in general. It is against business using leverages against citizens, something that the USA does not seem to care about, and that's fine for the USA just don't try to apply the same principles you live under to a different culture regarding businesses.
I completely don't mind. The people who still want to buy Apple can just do a direct import themselves. Probably AliExpress will even offer to do it for you, just like they do for other non-EU companies that refuse to play by EU rules, e.g. Xaomi.
Not just iDevices, but any device that can not be fully controlled by the owner. Hardware should only be allowed to be sold if we are free to install/reinstall the software as we see fit.