Even if all that were true, Ouroboros, it still doesn't make it official, yet.
Hell, even if you are right, and RAI is that Persona Devices function fully without a connection to the Matrix (more on that little hiccup in a moment), that means the authors did a piss-poor job of conveying it. I mean they had at least three chances to do so: Core, Data Trails, and Kill Code.
I know, because I've been looking for anything to support the idea ever since Xenon pointed out to me that RAW doesn't support how I want tech to work in Shadowrun.
Now, let me play devil's advocate against my own wishes for a moment.
First, there is a potential "cheat" available if Persona Devices function normally without a connection to the Matrix. No OS score. Jayde Moon presented the crazy idea of the OS being stored on the device, meaning the hackers who use them have complete control over their own OS's, but that can't be the intent. Just as being able to turn Wireless Off to not generate OS while directly connected to another device can't be the real intent.
Next, thanks to Kill Code, we know that Persona Data is stored / contained / exists in the Foundation. That makes it highly unlikely that a Persona Device can even form a Persona without a connection to the Matrix. No Matrix, no Foundation, no data to form said Persona. Quotes incoming:
This means that once a user creates a Matrix identity for the first time, their persona is crafted from the building blocks of the Matrix’s Foundation, in somewhat the same fashion as a host. As a result, personas are impossible to hack without access to the Foundation.
A persona is logged in whenever the user is online with a device capable of running a persona. Global positioning data, incredibly advanced passkeys, biorhythm data, and past Matrix history all combine to virtually eliminate false logins.
Now, to be fair, it isn't exactly clear if Matrix Actions can only be performed by Personas. I assume they are restricted that way, but that is just an assumption on my part unless someone can provide a quote that I missed.
Since you can only be "logged in" while online, and so far everyone equates forming a Persona = logged in, that means no Matrix connection, no Persona.
If that wasn't enough, there is a symmetry in the game system. There is the Astral realm, with the Metaplanes. There is the Matrix, and the Resonance Realms. A character can only cast spells / summon spirits when they have a "connection" to the Astral (no Magic-y things in space, for example). A hacker can only do Matrix Actions in the Matrix Realm, the telecommunications grid.
If that isn't enough for you to admit you just might be wrong with your claim of in-depth knowledge of RAW and RAI for the Matrix, let's go to your "real world" argument.
For the last decade, or more, tech producers - mostly software, admittedly - have been striving to make everything "cloud only." (Autodesk, Google, Microsoft, etc.) The only time they walk that back is when there is sufficient customer pushback. Frankly, each time the producers try, the amount of pushback gets smaller and smaller.
It is more than just within the realm of possibility that in 50, 60 years time the (mega) corps finally win and
require Matrix connection for devices to work, it is actually likely - as much as I hate to admit it.
If anyone has any quotes to make things work the way I want them too, I welcome the input.
Given how hard forum goers try to prove me wrong, I think they would have surfaced by now, though.