Apple's iPhone is central to the product/value they deliver. And it's treated as such by Apple. Google's Android is not. They deliver ads, and now some servi

Apple's iPhone is central to the product/value they deliver. And it's treated as such by Apple. Google's Android is not. They deliver ads, and now some services that don't depend on ads. They needed to keep the channel open for these, in the face of a mobile transition that could otherwise be dominated by Apple and maybe Microsoft. Thus, Android. Of course, this was also back when Google was still willing to really take a flyer on something.