Does iOS truly require it? I thought that was only if you wanted to use the store.

Being unable to install an alternate app store or sideload my own apps means I need an apple ID to use the computer I purchased.

Again, android phones with GrapheneOS or windows machines with linux let me use my hardware fully without creating any advertising-ridden-evil-corporate-company's account, including building and running my own apps.

I can't even build my own code for iOS, let alone run it, without an apple account (and paying apple money).

> windows machines with linux let me use my hardware fully without creating any advertising-ridden-evil-corporate-company's account

Does Windows machines with Linux here mean WSL2 on Windows? I think the problem people have had with Microsoft accounts is exaclty that they need to use a Microsoft account to use their computers and they don't like it.

If it instead means Linux machine (not sure what Windows has to do with it), then I think people are genuinely happy to have the freedom to use their hardware as they see fit without asking for permission or updating Microsoft or Apple.

You can use an Apple computer without an Apple ID and build your own code on it, but that does seem to be a holdout from the old days when Apple had products like the II Plus and System 9. It feels like they're moving towards the Microsoft model of /mandatory/ accounts even for their desktop OS.

I mean installing linux, not WSL. I can install linux without ever thinking about a MS account on most windows laptops.

Apple restricts their iDevice computers to only run iOS, with no option to install linux.

Microsoft _could_ require that lenovo or dell lock down secureboot such that linux cannot be installed, but they don't (not to mention microsoft surface pros can run linux), so apple is clearly doing more to restrict my freedom with their devices than microsoft is with theirs.