Privacy (for robot vacuums) isn’t cheap. via the Verge.

  • @WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world
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    2 years ago

    This title is dumb. Companies are not selling all of their products at a loss just to harvest your data[1] and privacy is not significantly more expensive. Don’t let capitalism fool you into believing we’re suffering from anything but the natural progression of “infinite growth”.

    We’re so far into dystopia, and used to every company double/triple/quadruple dipping, that the entire concept of a company simply building a quality product, that lasts as long as possible, without ads, or extracting and selling your data, planned obsolescence, or price gouging is insanity… which is itself, batshit insane. This is not an efficient system. It’s a runaway freight train of greed and narcissism that is parasitically killing our host spaceship.

    [1] they might be with Alexa hubs and other select data harvesting multipliers, but they’re probably selling them at cost or a tiny loss.

    • meseek #2982
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      62 years ago

      Depends on the business model. Take Apple and Amazon. Apple makes most of its cash off hardware sales. As such, Apple will never sell you a $50 Mac hoping to make the money back thru services or ad revenue of any kind. And why their HomePods cost 3x more than any smart speaker.

      On the other hand, Amazon doesn’t make money off hardware. They routinely blow out Fire products at insane discounts. A 10th of what Apple charges for a comparable product. Because they make their cash of sales and services. Products are just a conduit to more lucrative services.

      You can’t lump every company into the same money making MO. Every company tends to have their own unique angle.

    • DaDragon
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      62 years ago

      I mean it’s partially true, do you remember Juicero? The entire goal was to get you integrated into the subscription model. It was well built, but they still priced it in a way that would make people want to buy the service needed to actually use it. Most companies either want subscriptions, or willingly lower build quality just to be able to sell you a new version within a shorter timeframe

      • @Tak@lemmy.ml
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        32 years ago

        I disagree with that being the reason. Products without lots of bullshit do fine but Instant Pot purchased other companies and tried to expand into basically every kitchen role in like 5 years.

        Look at Vitamix for instance and even with making composters? they seem to manage without bullshit.