Alriteythen...
Just for the sake of argument...
say the security and privacy ideal is dropped...
Aim lower and go with closed blobs and proprietary crap..making things "possibly" more affordable

1- Well then... why don't we all just migrate to n9's or Jolla's ...why don't we all just keep polishing our n900's ...
cause I don't see a point.

2- closed-up we are looking at a very finite number of os's that "maybe" will run...and a very narrowed lifespan. Look at what a little more than 5 years has done for us with the closed n900... much longer and it'll only be easy deb that'll work on it and that won't last forever ...there will come a point where it won't be able to be a valid "current" alternative.

2- With a device that "is" open we can put whatever os that can be crammed in ...and that means 10+ years down the road ones that are meant for older specs and hardware
And that means we would still have fully-functioning devices into the distant future

3- As freakin' expensive as it "MAY" end up being...
(and sure the upper-end new estimate for a finished device doesn't thrill me either...and I ain't down-playing the situation or pie-in-the-sky fanboy-ing it either...)
If the neo performs as stated...then there isn't any rival on the planet.

edit:
Oh and I almost forgot...
It is rare ..
but I can be an impatient B-tard...
I haven't gotten my ticket yet.
Where's my voucher dammit?!?!
I need to get in on the rapture of the convoluted process