Android is quite different though, since the user has very limited access to the actual hardware and largely interacts with the system through approved apps. Whether it uses Linux or some other kernel is largely irrelevant for the functioning of the device.

When I say "Linux," I mean the rest of the userland as well, whether that's GNU or something like busybox. There are certain expectations about user interaction that SteamOS satisfies that Android really doesn't.

I'm 100% fine with Steam as-is, the DRM is optional and you can install anything else you like. If that's what takes over, I'll be ecstatic.

I dont care what android is on paper, in practice it shares almost nothing in common with the rest of linux and it isn't instructive how this could be done with an actually FOSS os.