What hardware/software compromises? We all know it's pretty easy to root and install custom ROMs. Much easier to jailbreak/root than on iPhones. HTC uses Qualcomm SoCs. Hardly a compromise. Qualcomm makes some of the best silicon for mobile devices and second only to Apple's AX series. Software is still the same at it's core (it's called Android) which provides most of the functionality of the phone.
Your logic is deeply flawed. Does that mean we shouldn't give a crap about build quality/material simply because we probably would get a case? No. Build quality is build quality regardless of whatever 3rd party accessory you put on it. Same with build material. Samsung's Exynos isn't that great. iPhone 4S A5 still competes very well with Galaxy S3's SoC, which is pretty sad because the A5 is over one year old.
iPhone 5 doesn't turn into a mess. It could but most of the people I know who use it normally (i.e. they don't just toss it around as if it were made of diamond) have a few marks from drops and whatnot, but still look great. Anodization and coated aluminum are different. Just like your flawed logic and actual logic.
They're all "plastic" but we know there are different types of plastic, different coatings, different thicknesses, different processes to create the plastic and most importantly plastic structure (unibody versus piece by piece). This holds true for aluminum. Not all aluminum is the same and we haven't even gotten into different alloys and grades and coatings/anodizations.
I really like how HTC uses plastic but it the end result turns out really premium looking and feeling. It doesn't feel like cheap or flimsy but solid.
Of course they want it, whether they can afford to spend on marketing is another thing. They all just don't want to be a dumb prick like Samsung who thinks bashing Apple by saying their stuff is crappier is good marketing. I rarely see Samsung marketing their product. I see Samsung saying hey guys we're better than Apple but we won't tell you why because we actually suck so bad.
Of course tech guys know the difference. That is so obvious. This is technology! If technology enthusiasts don't know the different then who does? Either way, Google doesn't care about Galaxy vs Android UNLESS Samsung ditches Android. If Google wanted Android to be a household term, they would market Android themselves instead of just providing free source code and letting it be.
Maybe Samsung will be able to pull it off but I doubt it. All the apps that run on their Galaxy devices are Android apps. There is a huge ecosystem developed by Google. Apps and other multimedia content in Google Play. Samsung wants to lose that and start all over? No. They will customize Android more and more to fit their own needs. But they won't say goodbye to Android itself. Don't tell me Tizen is their answer. Because I will say Meego as my answer.
