>> But the data never exists as a whole in the first place in cheap cameras.
>
> Actually it does exist, at least in Canon cameras.

That's because they probably use the same hardware in lots of different 
cameras. Again it's all about cost, cheaper to use an existing solution that 
is slightly more than they need, rather than to develop a new one.

> Really, this is a case study of hardware being deliberately crippled 
> through software for marketing reasons.

It's not marketing reasons, it's purely financial reasons, to make maximum 
profit.  Say it costs Canon $100 to make each camera, whether crippled or 
not.  You have two options:

Option 1: Sell just one model for $150 and make $50 profit on each camera

Option 2: Sell a crippled version for $125 and a non-crippled one for $200. 
If you choose those two prices correctly, you will make more profit.

Companies realise that option 2 is likely to make them much more profit, you 
get sales from all the people who couldn't afford $150 before, plus you get 
sales from people who think that because it's $200 it must be better than a 
$150 camera from another company, and obviously it's better than your $125 
you are selling.

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