And I'm sorry, a US News opinion article on the Google search engine nobody uses unless they don't care about privacy or censorship isn't relevant to this discussion. You can use Android hardware without funding Google, or with just a single hardware purchase if you choose a Pixel. You can't stop funding Apple in their ecosystem. You have no choices.
Discussion
I see.
Is Google evil? Yes...that's undeniable. But clearly Apple is far more insidious in it's effort to directly control it's users. When there is an iPhone equivalent to a GraphteneOS or the myriad of other options, or at least sidrloading apps is supported Apple-wide I'll feel differently. But this is nothing but pure greed, and they have you guys over a barrel.