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Device makers hiding the SoC they are using is a terrible recent trend (lemmy.sdf.org)

submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

8 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Rant incoming:

This was spurred by having just read https://www.androidpolice.com/google-tv-streamer-questions-answered/ , particularly this bit:

When I asked directly, a Google representative told me they couldn't confirm which chipset powers the Google TV Streamer — essentially, Google declined to answer.

I've been noticing an increasing trend by device makers to not disclose the SoC their devices run on. I've been seeing it with e-readers, network routers, media streamers, etc.

It's incredibly frustrating to have devices actively exclude important information from their spec sheet and even dodge direct questions from tech news reporters. Reporters shouldn't have to theorize about what chip is in a released device. It's nuts.

If you're wondering why this infomation is important, it can be for several reasons. SoC vendor can have significant impact on the real world performance and security of a device. It also carries major implications for how open a device is as SoC vendors can have dramatically different open source support and firmware practices.

I've had to resort to inspecting the circuit board photos of FCC filings way too much lately to identify the processors being used in devices. And that's not a great workaroud in the first place as those photos are generally kept confidential by the FCC until months after the device releases (case in point the Google Streamer).

top 8 comments

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago

They want your data. If you start trying to modify the device you become less lucrative

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 month ago (1 children)

I guess they don't disclose it because they change it frequently. If whatever new arm chip became discounted, they just switch to that.

I noticed this a long time ago, Asus did this with their entry level routers frequently, but they at least disclosed it. You had to be careful, the same router with the same name could be totally different inside, only the revision number changed.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

Then they can put a damn revision number on a sticker or as part of the serial number.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 month ago (2 children)

I don't know what a SoC is :/

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

System on Chip. Basically the CPU, and a lot of other hardware often including the sensors and wireless adapters. So, a very important, core component of any modern device.

[–] [email protected] 24 points 1 month ago (1 children)

System on chip.

It's basically all of the stuff needed to make a device function on a single board. Radios, processors, memory, etc.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

Ah gotcha. Thank you so much!

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 month ago

I've had to resort to inspecting the circuit board photos of FCC filings way too much lately to identify the processors being used in devices

If you're writing and have to do that then explicitly call out the manufacturers in the article.