Consumers now have thousands of computers, tablets, e-readers, phones, game consoles, and other gadgets to choose from. Unfortunately, technology marketing teams have a frustrating history of creating misleading marketing campaigns — from the commercials they create to the facts listed on product listings.
Here are eight misleading marketing gimmicks to be aware of before you purchase any new tech toys.1. PlayStation 4 Pro’s 4K graphics
The new PlayStation has been marketed as a new 4K gaming experience. Despite the marketing claims, developers have begun to admit that the console doesn’t have the processing power to render a true 4K image. Instead, the PS4 Pro fills in half of the required pixels for a 4K image (like a checkerboard) and utilizes an algorithm to fill in the missing pixels for a 4K screen, which will still result in a high definition gaming experience, but not technically 4K.
The PS4 Pro will be close enough to 4K image that most gamers won’t be able to tell the difference. Mislabeling the PS4 Pro as 4K isn’t malicious, but it’s still indicative of an industry that continually oversells image quality as true 4K.
2. Video game trailers with misleading images
Video games, every once in awhile, mislead gamers about the quality of the graphics. Gamers awed by the trailers, purchase the game, and then are disappointed by the poorer-than-advertised image quality. Game marketers hoodwink gamers in two ways: pre-rendered images and cross console game images.
No Man’s Sky has come under fire (and an investigation by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority) for using concept art and pre-rendered footage to advertise their game in a manner that over-exaggerates the graphics.
In 2010, Final Fantasy XIII’s trailer was banned by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority for using PlayStation 3 clips to advertise the Xbox 360 version of the game. The trailer convinced individuals to purchase the game, only for them to discover the Xbox 360 version of the game had lower quality graphics.
3. Available storage space
Available memory is an important aspect of many purchases. Is 8GB enough? Or would a 32GB device be better? Each consumer needs to make an educated decision which device best fits their needs. The problem is that tech manufacturers often choose to not advertise how much of the memory has already been used by preinstalled software and hardware.
How big can the discrepancy between advertised and available storage be? In the past, Apple iPhones and iPads had 20 percent less storage space…
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