I have the freedom to choose between Google or Apple. That’s not very free at all.

lol that isnt going to change even if they allow app sideloading or other web browser engines

It has to be usable.

"Starting at $2,199"

Freedom isn't free, apparently.

Not if you care about externalities, it isn't.

It's not (just) because of externalities that that model costs 2199 USD.

I'm not saying you're wrong, but what else is included in that cost, in your opinion?

Economies of scale / specialized production / labor costs / higher margins on "premium" production lines.

What do you actually WANT then?

A Windows phone. Just kidding. Kind of.

Everyone I know who had one (okay, that's not many people...) loved it.

It did have a soft real-time kernel. Most of my frustration with mobile devices is UI unresponsiveness at random times, even with the latest hardware.

I want the keys to the machine. I want corporations to accept that and deal with us on our terms.

I want nobody to force me to use the hardware I paid for in a specific way, especially if that arbitrarily limits the functionality of the device.

If there were more than just those two providers (say, 10) we’d likely have at least one option like that.

So you go to purchase a device from a company who has been doing this since their very existence, is known for doing this, and has never pretended or tricked consumers into thinking they don’t do this. A closed ecosystem is Apple’s M.O. - and I can’t think of any sane person who cares about repairability who goes to them. They all own open phones such as the Fairphone. I love mine.

Yeah two American companies with HQ next to each other.

Huawei and HarmonyOS? I know, rather unpopular ouside of China.

That's simply rebranded Android.

Not even sure they're allowed to be imported into the US.

Where do you want to get punched, in the stomach or in your face?

Similar dilemma.

Not if you want to run WhatsApp or your bank's app.

Even the KaiOS support ended for WhatsApp. That’s not to say anyone should use that metadata-scraping, address-book-stealing service anyhow.

If only I could avoid it. Everyone in my country uses WhatsApp for literally everything. My choices are: (1) using WhatsApp, or (2) being ostracized.

At least it has end-to-end encryption.