I don't see that as a means for swapping your keypad several times a day based on what you are doing at the moment. I see it more as a means of customizing it once at the time of purchase. And if you eventually do find that your lifestyle has changed or something and a different keypad would now be optimal, you have the ability make the change to using a different keypad as your daily keypad.

Think of it like hot-swappable key switches on a mechanical keyboard. No one is swapping out their switches based on what they are doing at the moment (drafting an email using brown switches, playing a game using red switches, etc.). People may try a few different sets to determine what works best for them, then eventually settle on a single set to use for the remainder of their use of that keyboard. And if their preference does eventually change or something, they have the ability to swap to a new set of keyswitches to use as their daily switches. They hypothetically could swap their switches several times a day, but no one is expecting someone to do that. And hot swappable key switches are still very sought after.

What I see great about this swappable keypad system is the possibility for alternate layouts. If I did not like the standard QWERTY, I could likely get a keypad in Colemak or Dvorak layout. I would likely buy just the one keypad, but welcomed the swappable keypad system in case I eventually want to change to some other alternate layout. It also makes the hypothetical future used market better. If a French user purchases a used QWERTY version of this device (because that was the most popular configuration while it was sold new, so that might always be the only thing you see on the used market), they could probably purchase a French keypad and just swap that out.

EDIT: Or compare it to your virtual keyboard again. I have only made a few changes to my virtual keyboard over the years. For the most part, I tried a few options, found what was best for how I use my phone, and stuck with it. But I really do appreciate the ability to change to a different keyboard on the rare occasion that I want to.

Honestly graphine Etc may just be a somewhat lost cause at least in terms of new hardware. They are constantly having to work against the main branch of android. Google is going to continue to pull as much as possible of the underlying operating system and most of the apps people want. Firmly under their sphere of control. Such that de Googled devices. Won't easily be able to run them in the first place.

Burning a lot of time and effort to be someplace we aren't wanted isn't going to make us any more wanted. Which is why ultimately for me, I am specifically looking for a Linux handheld in my future. Or BSD both are acceptable.