I went from an IPhone 7 to the latest model a few months ago. I wanted something more reliable and a better camera/battery. On new phones there’s not a physical SIM card. My carrier has blocked adding an eSIM, even though I’m still paying them. Now I’m stuck with WiFi and roaming charges.
My Google pixel had esim & physical sim from the get go. Apple’s strategy is to lock you into their ecosystem, and it works well
It does work well but everything I’ve bought from them lasts longer. I’ve had my laptop for 8 years with zero issues and my phone lasted 7 years before I replaced it.
While Apple does try to lock you into their ecosystem, Apple has nothing to do with an iPhone being locked. The same thing for your Pixel being unlocked from the get go. Phones are locked by the carrier (Verizon, T-Mobile, Vodafone, Orange, etc), not the manufacturer (Apple, Google, Samsung, Huawei, etc).