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But i dont understand this, why should I have to part with my data when I am buying a fully paid product? I know the justification being used for free services but i find it hard to accept this for a piece of hardware that I pay for.

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I'm not trying to justify it by any means, but I sometimes wonder if the cost of devices are sometimes subsidized by data collection.

I think this hit the nail on the head.

Most devices are actually sold at barely over cost.

Indeed. I helped a relatively un-technical friend get a smartphone at MetroPCS and was blown away at the hardware you can get for $99 or less. Obviously I assumed it's very subsidized, but I found the $99 phones were only about $179 full cost, and we're talking phones not too far off spec from an iPhone 7 Plus or a Galaxy S8.

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