I wouldn’t put it past Samsung to try and force you to have internet access enabled so they can spy on you.

However having additional hardware to directly access the internet via cellular is a bit much. That might have been an Aprils fools article by some IT site.

When Sony tried to install root kits on PCs of folks just trying to watch a movie on a legit purchased DVD there was a quite large shitstorm.

Some require you to be online.

I’d take it back to the store as broken. Never heard of that though.

Some took it a step further and are equipped with 4/5G modems to bypass your network restrictions.

Never heard of this either and it would raise a massive stink in the EU. Can you share an example?

Or you could just block the Spyware TV from accessing the internet.