The problem that has plagued microcomputers is that people that buy a computer to use at home won't buy much else, so it will hurt the ecosystem in the long run.
It was also said about UNIX, non-UNIX, x86 servers, and well, how many more iterations did we have? Oh, and I almost forgot abut Android.
Most of the things you mentioned survived because of an ecosystem of long term support and service. The overhead of a computer purchase was and is pretty high. It seems unlikely that people will invest in long term service or care for a $25 phone.
As I've said elsewhere, I look forward to seeing how Mozilla makes this ecosystem thrive. My assumptions are that it needs a healthy economy, but I am not opposed to having that assumption turned on its head.
All the things I mentioned received the same kind of comment, and were at first only brought by cheapstakes that wouldn't buy any kind of add-on.
And yes, all those things survived because of an ecosystem of long term support and advice. If both phrases look at odd for you, you may need to take a look on how societies enriches itself.
It was also said about UNIX, non-UNIX, x86 servers, and well, how many more iterations did we have? Oh, and I almost forgot abut Android.