The main difference is that - as a solo artist - Morrissey is 100% in control of everything. He decides where and when the band tours, picks the setlist, what T-shirts they wear, what hairstyles they have, who's going to produce the new album, which song gets picked as a single, who's in or out of the band etc. While I'm sure he got his own way most of the time in the Smiths (even if it was just by the tactic of refusing to answer the door for things he didn't want to do, or disappearing midway through recording sessions), now he doesn't have to even consider anyone else's opinions. He is entirely in charge of his destiny now - so yeah, I think that's a fairly big change.