All of these items, unread count on icons (badges - stupid name IMO), plus the ability to turn off the little clock, light vs dark theme in GNL etc etc, should all be customizable by the user in stock Android.
If Google added customization options for all this, the settings menus would be overly full and then we'd have people complaining about how complicated Android is and how they can't find the setting they're looking for. You're putting the designers in a can't-win situation.
And it is the responsibility of the designers to make a judgement call about what's configurable and what's not. Apple takes a very conservative stance - they've decided what they feel is right and allow you to change relatively little of the user experience, AND they tightly control efforts by third parties to offer customization solutions.
Google takes a more open approach - they offer more customization options in the OS, but they have (wisely) chosen not to cater explicitly to power-users because they have literally billions of users and Android has to be accessible to them all. What Google has done is made it easy for third party app developers to step in with customization options, available for download in the Play Store.
That's the ethos of Android. You can rail against it if you want, but ultimately that's not going to help you much to get your favorite customization. Just go download an app to do it. You'll be helping yourself as well as the Android ecosystem by doing so.
Alternatively, you could find an Android manufacturer (Samsung, HTC) that has skinned Android UX and added the customization options you prefer. Or you might be happier with the UX choices Apple has made, in which case an iPhone would be a better choice for you.