No Kernel actually initializes the hardware to be ready to be used… I was trying to simplify it for our average users. I already know all that…
Edit:
In embedded hardware for space constraint. like hearing aid, there is no chainloading firmware, the kernel is the first thing it boot up, which jumps to init() and starts reading the device tree embedded in the firmware (DTB) which contains data about hardware itself, starts the load it to memory, then initisalizes the hardware directly then RTOS can proceed booting, then more hardware can init later if it is not critical to booting up the kernel. user level services can start up, including LE Audio service/ MFI/ ASHA, amplication services, noise supression, audiology programnming, debugginge etc etc…