Content should not be the only channel of advertising revenue. With smart TVs from Hisense and other manufacturers, you have to expect that even simple actions such as changing the channel will trigger an ad.
With the smart TV, classic television has become almost obsolete. Powerful chips behind the large screens, together with a fully-fledged operating system, provide new possibilities. The entertainment offered in colorful interfaces with numerous apps ranges from classic television to streaming and gaming — and beyond.
The manufacturers of smart televisions have also long recognized the potential of this development. With their own apps and services, they are trying to expand the range of functions and create ecosystems where the smart TV plays a key role. This way, companies hope to open up new business models and increase sales. This effort is apparently too far beyond Hisense’s current modus operandi. Rather, the Chinese industry giant is simply trying to sneak in additional advertising everywhere.
First the Ad, Followed by Another Channel
Such attempts are not entirely new. As early as 2022, users noticed advertisements when navigating the selection menu of smart TVs. Now, Hisense wants to push the possibilities even further, as a report from Tom’s Hardware revealed. In addition to menu selection, calling up the home screen now also triggers an ad for many users of its devices. The same applies whenever you change the channel.
Hisense explained to Medium that this was merely a so-called spot test in Spain. The manufacturer wanted to use this to test advertising formats suitable for linking with free content. It remains unclear why these ads were also discovered in English and German.
Other Device Manufacturers are Also Affected
Hisense is not limiting the additional advertising to its own market. The Chinese company works with manufacturers like Akai, Loewe, Schneider, and Toshiba, supplying them with OLED displays and the Vidaa operating system, among other things.
However, according to the report, users have a simple option of rejecting additional advertising. And they do not have to cut their connection to the network, even though this would probably be the safest method. According to the report, it is sufficient to send an email with the ID to a presumably Australian email address (service.tv.au@hisense.com). Upon doing so, the advertising should stop.
