[vk23]

>How is Google holding consumers hostage and not Apple?

It does not matter what Apple is doing this is about Google. I would expect that there are ongoing investigations against Apples practices regarding similar issues too.

>Honestly, for the value that Android gives phone manufacturers I am surprised that Google's requirements were so low. Android gave the phone manufacturers a platform and asked for little in return.

Not being allowed to release competing OSes / forks and other software is more than a "little" in return. Google does not give android away "for free" because they want to help others they do it because they want to help themself get into everybodies smartphone.