You're not alone in thinking that and it's a valid opinion.
I am a bit of a geek and I don't mind, in fact I actually enjoy, tweaking things, so it's not a problem for me.
There's an app called "Tasker" on Android that you can use to completely automate your phone. For example, I use it to disable WiFi and enable silent mode in work hours. I use it to automatically disable the pattern lock on my phone and start Spotify when I connect to my car's bluetooth. I use it to start Spotify when I plug my headphones in or connect to my bluetooth speaker at home.
It supports so many events; for example, you can have it perform a task when you get to within 30 metres of your home address. You can have it perform a task when you shake the phone. There's literally hundreds of events.
A little bit of work with Android and you can have it running exactly how you want it to, completely automatically.
And no, battery life isn't too bad with it.