@ronnie There are cheaper phones, but I'm not about to step into the minefield of iPhone vs. Android. :-)
As for cheaper iPhones, I strongly suspect that people with budget issues will be financing through their carrier or doing the iPhone Purchase Program (most likely the former). That brings your monthly cost down to a few dollars' difference between the low and high ends (since even the cheapest ain't cheap), and a lot of them will opt for the most they think they can afford. Again, other people's financial choices are a minefield I'm not going to step into, since I'm not in their shoes.
All I'm saying is that it's wrong to discount people's concerns in this regard. Whether the Verge (which I mostly only use for their liveblog when something new is introduced) is on an anti-Apple crusade, I can't say.
// @bazbt3