Rpi and beaglebone are nice examples of cheap SoC compact computers. They’re prime examples of cheap and powerful single board computers. What I was pointing out with the microcontrollers though is cheap and efficient processing power for embedded comsumer product applications. Those types of applications don’t require an OS to function, a compiled program in native code to the processor is plenty enough.
Sure I get it. A toaster or a thermostat doesn’t need an OS and typically haven’t had them. But does this mean that we won’t ever get to that state? I don’t know that it does.