My point is these $500+ phones are way overpriced. Not everyone has expendable money to spend. What of you were buying a car or house and you were forced to pay the full cost upfront? Without carriers subsidizing phones, the iPhone would have never gotten popular and the smartphone industry would have collapsed.
Also, carriers now have a program where you can exchange your phone every 6 months so you're not suck with the same thing for the life of your contract.
The Moto G is possibly the best value in the smartphone market right now. It's very affordable ($200 and under), durable, and has decent specs