The cheapest noname 4G USB stick you can buy now probably has a Qualcomm MSM8916 in it, and runs, I shit you not, Android.
You're not wrong, see also [1].
> and Qualcomm wouldn't even want to talk to you unless you are at least "MOQ 100000+"
These[2,3,4] definitely aren't MoQ "100000+" (I know this market), and yet they have gotten their hands on Android chipsets somehow, [2] even includes a cellular modem. Not cheap devices by any means though.
[1] https://nickvsnetworking.com/adventures-with-a-10-lte-mifi-d... [2] https://www.blindshell.com/eshop/blindshell-classic-3-eu [3] https://www.himsintl.com/en/blindness/view.php?idx=8 [4] https://www.humanware.com/microsite/bntouch/index.php?srslti...
Those products are almost always sourced from Chinese ODMs. They're the adults in the projects to the eyes of chip vendors, and the ODMs handle the quadrillion MOQ situation between them and vendors. Also products in [3] and [4] don't seem to support cellular? [3] smells AllWinner or MediaTek, [4] specifies TI OMAP in specifications page. Those are less NDA/bajilion MOQ bound.
Those specialized devices are usually made in partnership with some third party ODM that's big enough to get Qualcomm's attention. Same for things like warehouse barcode scanners that run Android.
Even if you could get attention of one, and get it to design and make a custom device that wouldn't break the bank? You are still likely to end up with that OEM owning the design and/or binding you with a small pile of NDAs.
Another option would be to find a supplier that can get you some "fell off the back of a truck" smartphone chipsets, and either design your own PCB and roll your own software, or use a "fell off the back of a truck" reference design, SDK and tooling too. You'd need to be a real hardcore motherfucker to do that though.