I think the distinction in my head is that game consoles are explicitly single-purpose (or very limited-purpose), whereas smartphones are playing at being gener

I think the distinction in my head is that game consoles are explicitly single-purpose (or very limited-purpose), whereas smartphones are playing at being general purpose, but only insofar as their manufacturer approves of that purpose. Personally I see the broader trend towards highly-restricted corporate-controlled hardware (of all types) as something explicitly detrimental that we should push back on wherever possible.