Google does indeed use Google Play Services to gate-keep the Ecosystem while keeping Android technically FOSS. Still better than Apple in this case, but hey… would you rather be hanged or beheaded?

Building abstractions and tools to reduce busy-work has been the goal of computer science since the moment we created assembly. The difficulty lies in finding methods that provide enough value for enough use-cases to outweigh the cost of learning, documenting, and maintaining them. Finding a solution that works for your narrow use-case is easy - every overly eager junior has done it. However, building solutions that truly advance CS takes time, effort, and many, many failures. I don’t mean to discourage you, but always be aware of the cost of your abstraction. Sometimes, the busy work is actually better.