The spying is one thing, but you're right: SmartTVs doesn't make sense, because the software sucks.
If Sony, Phillips or some other manufacture made a SmartTV with software that rivalled the AppleTV, or even just a Chromecast, then it would make some sense to save the money from the AppleTV and buy a better TV.
The thing is that all of the SmartTVs I tried are slow and confusing. You're better off buying a cheaper TV and getting the $200 AppleTV HD.
If you factor in the cost of developing shitty software, then maybe there would be more profit in just release a new dumb TV.
If Sony, Phillips or some other manufacture made a SmartTV with software that rivalled the AppleTV, or even just a Chromecast, then it would make some sense to save the money from the AppleTV and buy a better TV.
The thing is that all of the SmartTVs I tried are slow and confusing. You're better off buying a cheaper TV and getting the $200 AppleTV HD.
If you factor in the cost of developing shitty software, then maybe there would be more profit in just release a new dumb TV.