But the author isn't saying (only) "Prusa is losing the ultra-beginner market." That's moving the goal posts. The author is making sweeping claims beyond just that market, right?

When you're in the market for a new TV or phone or whatever, do you buy the absolute cheapest one you can find and then decry the other players in the market because their stuff is clearly low value because the ICO is higher? Maybe you do, that's your choice of course, but there are plenty of people who buy, for example, Apple because they see beyond the ICO.