Rootus The Youtuber they are discussing is a false privacy guy.
On the GOS side, basically iirc GOS couldn't get the device tree for A16, usually they do (A15 for example), additionally they are down a senior dev due to things outside their control.
This does not mean that GOS is dead, they are working on getting an A16 build going, its been in testing for a few weeks now, just not generally released yet.
As to "He who must not be named", he's selling products which claim they have better privacy (and possibly security) than anything else (allegedly).
Now, given that the GOS hardware is a Google Pixel, developed by some of the best security engineers in the world, same for Apple and iOS, apparently a cheap phone can match them, I don't think so, given the privacy and security practices of a lot of Android phones, nevermind chinese rebadged phones.
Chinese phones usually drop their support quickly, and without firmware updates, you cannot secure the OS properly, look at ring protection and you'll get an understanding of why (basically if you break the firmware, you can break the OS).
Back to GOS.
GOS has the security of the Pixel, which is likely the most secure Android phone, going toe to toe with iPhone and sometimes beating it, with the features added on top by the GOS devs, a lot of changes / fixes the devs have done have gone into Android its self (look at the auto reboot feature, GOS has had that for years), I dont see this youtubers phone doing half the things GOS did years ago.
Basically, until GOS is dead (by official announcement, or some actual evidence by a 3rd party), take it as people trying to capitalize on this news, twisting the story, especially by news outlets who act technical but have no idea how to do anything technical outside a prompt in ChatGPT, honestly, the amount of Youtubers who claim to be technical, are not and wouldn't survive half a day in a technical role.
For now, just enjoy using GOS :)