We cannot use bleeding edge hardware since that is simply not available to us. Chip manufacturers deliver to companies like Apple, Samsung, Nokia exclusively. And even when we could get the newest hottest stuff, where from would you, the user, get software that supports your modern platform? Given the TechnicalReferenceManual usually is made of exactly same unobtainium as the chips themselves.
Then look for the basic promise that the Neo900 is going to be binary compatible to N900. How we'd accomplish that for whatever leetest newest SoC is this week's hype? We pondered to go for OMAP5 but opted against it, for exactly that reason.
Finally: why would we build a device that's exactly like any of the currently selling top notch mobile phone hw platforms? What would be the selling point then so you would want to get a Neo900 instead of going for that other mainstream hw platform right away?

Then you please visit http://store.apple.com/de/buy-iphone/iphone5s and then tell me again we are too expensive. I know I'm comparing apples and oranges. But so do you. This is not a mainstream mass product, this is a highly specialized and even customized build of a very small batch of devices.

/j