Comment by nullc

Has someone qualified that removing the wireless hardware leaves the device functional?

This would be a nice public service for gamers nexus that happened to buy a lot of these devices. :P

I can say from experience in several devices (but not an LG TV) that removing dedicated bluetooth chipsets so far has left devices functional. ... but some things implement their bluetooth as part of the ESP32 that is the whole kit and kaboodle, so you can't remove it.

As to why someone would remove these components -- in addition to the explicit spying LG is doing, there are companies dragnet collecting BTLE device identifiers <> gps collecting, including collecting them via phone apps. This means that if you have any BTLE devices that are frequently with you or otherwise connected to your identity it may be possible for a threat actor to determine your location(s) from largely unregulated commercial databases.

I don't use BTLE at all, so this 'functionality' is a pure risk to me.