How is it a subpar product? I've been very happy with GPT 5.4 and the Codex CLI tooling, as well as ChatGPT web. I'd say product is one of their strengths.
It's heavily subsidized.
I pay for it, but I don't think it's worth much more than the 20 bucks a month I have been paying.
Once they start charging something that makes sense, I doubt it will be as good.
Will you be as happy when your $1000/mo of inference you’ve been getting for $30/mo is gonna cost $1000/mo?