We really need to make this into a website for 'hostile smartphones' or a 'list of smartphones to avoid', and popularize it among the normal folks. This is relevant to them even if they don't unlock the phones themselves. They could pay someone to unlock it and upgrade it - but only if the phone can be unlocked.

The manufacturers will do something about it when their hostile behaviour starts to affect their bottom line. They have been ripping us off for far too long.

Room for new competitors!

Being able to install a new os is orthogonal to owning a device. It's an additional feature that most users won't use.

When my mother was shopping for a new smartphone she definitely was not considering whether or not she could install a different OS on it.