I agree, however they don't want you to do that so they make it as hard as possible to actually buy the phone for the price they actually charge for it without getting into their money shuffling plans.

Apple flat out will not sell you a fully paid for iPhone 6 other than the T Mobile option, which I guess you could maybe take to another carrier if you paid two activation fees, who knows. Other than that, you have to look hard for how to do it. You usually will have to go to the service provider website or certain brick and mortar stores (not all can do it). Even then its a well hidden option burried well below the other lease/financing options, and you will likely be the only person any given salesman has ever dealt with that has tried to do it.

Even then, you'll have the latest phone with half the storage of the latest cellular iPad Mini3 at the same price or more.

They know people won't upgrade every year or two if they put the true price they have to pay on a sticker up front. That's why they lead with $299 or no money down and roll the rest into plans with some very fuzzy math.