What Product Reviewers Never Tell You -by- Sascha Seganhttp://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2326330,00.asp
Bottom Line: The product I test and review isn't the same one you
buy.

~ RHF

Hate to point out the obvious but this is always the way in
manufacturing. Make sure the review issue is faultless and then
manufacture the rest as cheaply as possible, value-adding to reduce
component and assembly costs at regular intervals. They learned it
from us and it's as true for Chinese radios as it is for American cars
and British TV programmes. Ever heard of the Leica M8? Their first
digital rangefinder, a snip at £4000. Problem was, it was so sensitive
to infrared and ultraviolet that anything black came out purple. All
the reviewers were assured that this was a mere glitch and happily
wrote their best-camera-ever glowing adverts. However it wasn't and
the cameras rolled off the line so flawed that after the public
threatened to demand refunds Leica handed out free filters, and the
reviewers were forced to explain themselves. So at least if a Chinese
radio arrives faulty you haven't blown a six year loan on it. I ask
the importer to check mine before they send it and so far so good, no
flaws above inherent design faults.

But yes you are right, production cost steadily falls through the
manufacturing span of a product as savings are made.