The phone doesn’t magically just work the way you want it to, and the functionality you personally desire doesn’t come without trade-offs and consequences to Apple, to other developers, or to other users.

You’re saying that because you bought a single iPhone that Apple now essentially reports to you. That YOU get to decide how Apple spends millions of dollars in its R&D, and that you get to decide how their software should function.

What makes you their master just because you freely chose to buy a single unit of a device from them? A device that, by the way, has sold billions of units.

You're way off base.

If a customer buys a phone, no investment or R&D is required by Apple to support other search engines, apps, browsers or payment systems.

It would actually require a massive investment by Apple to actually support all of those things as tested, enabled, documented, secured, stable, and fully supported (by the help-desk) features of their product.

Calling the work apple would need to do a "massive investment" is disingenuous at best.

On the other hand, you knew these restrictions before purchasing it and still continued with the transaction.

I understand both perspectives here but I don't think one is objectively right.

Most farmers buy John Deere, doesn't mean they shouldn't fight for their right to repair (which btw is an issue with Apple as well).

This is a little harder to deal with because often its not obvious what repair issues you will have in the future or what will stuff up and be difficult to replace. The restrictions on ios are obvious and you would notice them within your 2 week return period.

Then buy another brand which is easier to repair. You buy the tractor with eyes wide open.

I agree with you that repairability would be nice, but some brands prefer not to do that. Let other brands drive them out.