There are so many flaws with your take I don’t even know how to reply.

I will just say that:

1. $3,500 is not a price that only rich people can afford, at least in the US. Many middle class folks can afford it with ease.

2. It isn’t Apple’s fault that YouTube has ads. That is Google’s doing. Apple themselves are privacy focused and I never see targeted ads on any Apple app. The only places I even see ads are in the app store and in the TV app, and the TV ads are limited to promos of upcoming shows or movies.

People are constantly bashing Apple for their premium prices and walled garden while forgetting that nobody is targeting the folks who want a privacy oriented experience without ads blasting everywhere.

I switched to iOS because I got tired of Google watching my every move and I got tired of worrying if every app I download from google’s app store has malware or not.

There are hosting providers that offer unmetered bandwidth.

Sure, setup complexity is higher, but it is definitely doable.

I have thought about such a project as I also have access to relatively inexpensive 20gbps fiber, but lack the funding currently to do it.

Maybe one day…

For me, things were pretty easy/quick to set up, and the benefit? Lower electric bills. More convenience.