The position of the EU (correctly) is that they would work even better if Apple gave them the same level of access to your phone that they award to their own headphones.

Yes, I definitely want "Shockz" to be able to run background daemons on my phone for proximity pairing and god knows what else a fly by night OEM might want to do. That would make my phone work much, much better.

But then simply don't install or buy "Shockz" if that's your concern.

Apple might be doing the same thing, but you wouldn’t necessarily know it, since their ecosystem is a closed gate.

I have enough software on my phone that I was forced to install that I know this is argument rests on a false premise of agency.

That concept is entirely foreign to me, as an Android user. Closest I've come to being "forced" to install anything is when I need a boarding pass, and even then I'll often use a screenshot from my desktop. I can't think of any other mandatory apps on my phone right now.

You haven’t needed to install an app to manage a smart device? Or use a local public service? Or for work?

Out of curiosity, why quote Shokz and then spell it incorrectly, as well? I gather you're not a runner, so you have never heard of them, but I'm confused as to what you were trying to convey.

Damn, if only we had some form of technology that would let a user allow or reject access to system APIs. Sadly this is impossible and cannot be implemented.

This would not give any meaningful control or consent to the average user.