Comment on Hisense TVs force owners to watch intrusive ads when switching inputs, visiting the home screen, or even changing channels — practice infuriates consumers, brand denies wrongdoing

• CileTheSane@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  You are paying for features you don’t use (such as Internet access). That’s not a win.

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  • applebusch@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    They’re saying the company may be selling the device for less than the cost to produce it expecting the low price to draw in consumers while their predatory ads rake in much more money, so buying it and never connecting it means they took a loss. I’m skeptical that companies would do that these days. More likely they overcharge for the physical hardware AND have predatory ad software, you know to maximize shareholder value.

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    • CileTheSane@lemmy.ca ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      Even if that were true, you’re still paying more than you would be for a “dumb” TV that doesn’t have those features. So everybody loses but the company selling the hardware still sees a sale. They lose a lot more if they pay the cost to produce and then never sell the device.

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      • groet@feddit.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        You are asuming the cost of a network card and a microchip is higher than the profit they expect from the ads. Many smart TVs are cheaper than an equivalent dumb TV

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• grue@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

  [Citation needed]

  There is zero fucking evidence whatsoever that the alleged “savings” from the ad “subsidy” are getting passed to the consumer.

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  • moonshadow@slrpnk.net ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

    Automatic litterboxes, fancy toothbrushes, vidya consoles, air purifiers are all examples of physical items often sold at a loss in anticipation of a future revenue stream off the top of my head. Ad specific, lower end smartphones are cheap to free because the money comes from selling your data (by way of tracking apps the manufacturer is paid to include). That their motives aren’t altruistic kinda goes without saying. I would be very surprised if televisions were excluded from this process, and need a new explanation for walmart’s sub-$50 ad-choked tv selection

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    • grue@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

      I wasn’t asking for a citation that their methods aren’t altruistic; I was asking for a citation that they aren’t enshittifying the product with ads or subscriptions or whatever and then gouging you for full price anyway.

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      • moonshadow@slrpnk.net ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago

        Well that’s all you get for free man, hope you’re having a nice day

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