Consumer electronics are costed down to the lowest possible level. If
they can use something cheaper, they WILL use something cheaper. A TV

Well, maybe. Any manufacturer who has been nailed with thousands of
dollars in warranty costs caused by saving a penny might disagree with
your statement. I've seen it happen.

Caused by bad engineering (or purchasing), I would say.

"Costing down" does not mean "making inappropriate component
substitutions", and I wasn't suggesting or advocating such a policy.
It means, quite simply, going over the circuit and seeing where a
cheaper design or a cheaper, _compatible_ substitute can be used. If
the device has a 12 month warranty, and it dies after that period
expires, then nobody really cares which component was the first to
fail. Especially in disposable consumer electronics!