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0 pointsmdorazio5y ago0 comments

In the case of the smart tv it's actually because you didn't really pay the full price of the tv. The manufacturer counts on the revenue from those ads to boost the tv profit margin to an acceptable level, otherwise they would have to charge you more for the tv initially.

If you don't believe me, look up the price of a "commercial display" comparable to your tv. And before anyone asks, the majority of customers would rather have a cheaper tv with ads in the menus than a more expensive one without.

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edgarvaldes5y ago

>In the case of the smart tv it's actually because you didn't really pay the full price of the tv

How can the consumer know, if it is not disclosed?

And when every TV manufacturer is doing "ads in your smart TV", there is no incentive to not sell it at full price AND show you ads.

bostonvaulter25y ago

I think that a good step would be to require a sizeable disclaimer on the box/marketing material stating that it is ad-supported/tracking-supported. That way it is much easier for consumers to know why the price is as cheap as it is.

valvar5y ago

Commercial displays are not more expensive because they don't have ads - that's an absurd suggestion. They are more expensive because they have higher requirements. They need to be running for at least 8 hours per day without issues, but often 24/7, as opposed to the usual 4-6. That's the main difference.

amiga-workbench5y ago

They also have to deal with direct sunlight and a wider range of thermal conditions. Commercial displays are often placed in shop windows, the panel needs to stand up to that, and the electronics need active cooling for when the chassis warms up.

SamBam5y ago

That might be true, but it's not an "absurd suggestion." Amazon will sell you a Kindle for nearly 20% cheaper if you let it show you ads.

Dylan168075y ago

In terms of actual dollars, those ads are worth about 20. The value isn't much different for a TV.

When many commercial displays are hundreds of dollars more, it's pretty absurd to suggest ads are a large factor.

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