You don't understand. You get everything you just explained in the base 128GB model. The Apple "exclusives" and ecosystem. Upping the storage is just more storage. SSD storage is not exclusive to Apple, right? So the act of adding more of what is already there in the base price for way more than market value is price gouging. Especially for the reasons you listed -- you can only get the experience (but not the storage) from Apple.
Actually both phones are on Verizon prepaid. I pay a total of 70$ a month. They both get 16gb of data a piece. The primary has family and official business the other is there when the primary is on charger; it also acts as a side hustle, more anonymous, burner phone type of phone. I like using a different form factor. I also use it for testing The betasHonest question, why do you need two flagship new iPhones? One as a backup? So one will sit in your drawer unused unless your new Max breaks?
edit: I don’t know how I got two separate quotes in there.