> My android phone has a phone stack. The only stuff that comes in via my phone number is basically recruiter cold calls. It's a small internet device with some quaint legacy features that I rarely use.

Funny how people live in totally different bubbles. I see you are based in Berlin (I'm in Denmark) and I have no idea how it is there but here I -as a geek with very geeky friends- don't know anyone who use their phone as you describe. Sure a few calls are via Facebook with video and some messages too (though many are starting to refuse to use social media) but the overwhelming majority of use is normal old phone-calls, SMS and MMS. Inside my bubble things like you describe (internet based stuff) is where "old people" have moved and younger people are moving away from. Especially those who hate all the data mining done by Apple, Facebook, Google, etc. I don't have a single app on my phone with those capabilities you use and I'm not missing out. Of course I'm sure other very different bubbles are right next door :-)

>Operators trying to build walled gardens is a pattern that repeated itself

Apple, Facebook...