When buying a new washing machine and dryer, I actually spent hours extra to find models /without/ app requirements last summer. There were so few of them that did what I wanted, and also didn't require internet access that I'm worried the next time around there will be no more options where I can elect to keep them off the net. :/
While CR has the ability to filter by Wifi or not, as time goes on, this will drop to zero. What they don't do is say if the functionality is gated behind 1) an app and 2) behind internet connectivity, they aren't the same.
Has anyone else looking at this looked into the prosumer / commercial space? I suspect that market will have a lot less tolerant for digital bullshit.
This was the approach I took when purchasing a TV. Getting a TV without a microphone and Wi-Fi connectivity is borderline impossible... in the consumer segment.
My living room is now furnished with a digital signage monitor and a soundbar.
The price was a touch more than a normal TV of a similar size, and there was not much variety (I had to give up on OLED at the size I wanted for example), but I just have such a hatred for the constant nagging for Wi-Fi and terms of use acceptance nags my parents' new TV had.
If your product is cheaper because you sell my data to the highest bidder, just let me outbid them please.
What TV? I ended up getting a cheap Sceptre since it didn't have any smart nonsense. Not the greatest picture in the world but that's okay
I connected my TV to the internet when I set it up (also, turned off microphone ad tracking which is deep deep in settings), then connected it to an AppleTV and cut the internet to the TV at the router. I can switch it if I need to, but never have in the year since I purchased the TV.