Add Unihertz to the list. I'd love to buy a Jelly2 but not with their stock software. I don't understand the dynamics at play and it's hard to not get a bit conspiratorial..
You don't need kernel sources to change Android software though.
But I hate Unihertz for other reason. You can pretty much buy their hardware exclusively on their website which is a horrible e-merchant: Their delivery failed (maybe they never sent it, maybe they sent it with the cheapest post service possible, i don't know), and well pretty much they stole money from me. That was a "kickstarter" [1], so I couldn't ask my credit card for a refund.
And that's after I was already a sold customer since I already ordered one before, AND I gave them visibility by having custom ROM support for their devices.
[1] the quotes are here because the device was Google-certified months before, so clearly the product didn't need a "kickstart", they hide behind it to steal from users
But I hate Unihertz for other reason. You can pretty much buy their hardware exclusively on their website which is a horrible e-merchant: Their delivery failed (maybe they never sent it, maybe they sent it with the cheapest post service possible, i don't know), and well pretty much they stole money from me. That was a "kickstarter" [1], so I couldn't ask my credit card for a refund.
And that's after I was already a sold customer since I already ordered one before, AND I gave them visibility by having custom ROM support for their devices.
[1] the quotes are here because the device was Google-certified months before, so clearly the product didn't need a "kickstart", they hide behind it to steal from users