Ask HN: Why does mobile design suck?

I don’t mean this rhetorically. What’s the significance? My assumption is that there are many reasons other than just “apple is the best when it comes to design”. I’d really like to have a phone with a mobile equivalent to Linux, something lightweight and open-source yet still easy on the eyes. However this just doesn’t exist in the realm of mobile. Design alternatives to Apple are just inferior. Do all designers just go work at Apple or what? Can someone give me a cure for my naivety?