Recurring responses I see when when an app is recommended to solve an issue or add functionality to a phone in an android forum are:
I don't want to install a third party app to do something that the phone should already do.
or
The phone should do this out of the box, why do i have to add an app to do this?
There are very few of us who can pick up any phone off the shelf and have it function 100% the way that we want it to. The manufacturer and carrier have to attempt satisfy everyone who will buy the phone with their design decisions. Unless they are planning on only selling one phone then it is impossible.
But what if they could provide a phone that can be customized to for the person who buys it? Since they can't possibly know what combination of features every user will want they create a phone that provides a base for the owner to build on and make it their own.
This is what android provides. Using the built-in settings and add on apps and widgets you can become the designer of your phone. What others see as a failing of the Android OS, I see as it's best feature.