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TV is heavily subsidized from data collection and ads, not sure it's a perfect comparison

Prices have fallen far more than profit from data sale provides, so it's easy to view as a good enough comparison.

Do we have data on that either way? I’m genuinely asking, not snarking: I tried to look it up a while ago but couldn’t find as much as I hoped

I don’t have data for how much tvs are currently subsidized. But you can just look at the inflation adjusted price of TVs from say 1980 to 2010 and see the drop without worrying about adjusting for advertising and spyware subsidies.

You can also look at computer monitors (which don’t have advertising and spyware) and see an enormous price drop.

Edit: I found this which estimates you can make about $100 in ads and data collection over the lifetime of a TV https://omdia.tech.informa.com/om030986/in-the-smart-tv-indu...

People keep claiming this but it isn't true. The subsidy from advertising is very low:

> They make about $20 per user annually and, assuming an active TV service life of five years, yield about $100 over the lifecycle of a main viewing room TV.

https://omdia.tech.informa.com/om030986/in-the-smart-tv-indu...

Look at monitor price drops (comparing the same tech). Same price drop curve.

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