I agree. My jump was from Windows 7, when MS announced requirements for Windows 11 that seemed to try the trusted computing thing again. I have Windows 10 in a VM. It is not horrible once debloated, but my daily driver at this point is PopOS, which I can happily recommend.
If only we could now get linux phone done ( and no, mobile ubuntu does not count ) to where desktop is today, I think I would be content.
Sarcasm is exactly what I wanted to show. You do not like the price as if there was a wide choice of options. In reality, this is the price of a change. Otherwise it's is akin to free, because the company would have to pay the difference for you.
Not sure what is meant by where "desktop is today" unless you have a desktop that consists of thouchscreen display and no keyboard and mouse, but I would not want a phone that is operated as Linux desktop, because phone has to be phone first.
There are some others - Sailfish OS, Pure OS, Plasma Mobile and Manjaro for ARM - there are a lot of Linux based phones nowadays(Android is one of them).
By phrase reference to desktop, I mean that desktop experience on Linux for me is now comparable, if not noticeably better than Windows. I am genuinely more productive now despite certain gripes with Gnome. Stuff generally just works. The stuff that does not work, I can emulate or put in VM.
Now when I try to compare my current linux phone ( Pine ) with default Ubuntu to a cheapest android phone, the experience is just lacking. I know other OSs are available, and they were still underwhelming at the time. Has it gotten any better? I would love to try Librem, but I can't justify dropping $1999 for US version ( the non-US version has heavy lead time now ).
I am not saying the option is not there. It is just not ready for prime time.
If only we could now get linux phone done ( and no, mobile ubuntu does not count ) to where desktop is today, I think I would be content.