Samsung desperately wants to be this but misses the part where iPhones don’t come with third party junkware even if they’re entry level models and don’t allow carrier junkware either. Google could be it but they’re too married to midrange hardware and underwhelming physical designs.
All it would take is for a manufacturer to commit to their whole lineup being built with reasonably capable hardware (no ancient or weak SoCs as seen in budget Android devices), to completely jettison third party junkware, and have top end flagships with hardware that actually matches that description, but none thus far have managed this.
Probably not, but a zero junkware/zero carrier meddling policy is a major contributor to the brand's premium image, which makes the whole lineup more desirable. The iPhone is an invariable, singular product no matter how it's obtained, even if it has different price points.
By contrast Samsung, etc undermine themselves by trying to squeeze out pennies anywhere they can. That's the behavior of a commodity, not a premium brand.