With space heating, we don't need 21 Inc. Anyone in the market for space heating with Bitcoin mining, can go buy a used miner on ebay now. Thus if that was a big mass movement market, why hasn't it happened already?
It has. Poke around the mining forums and you see people mentioning constantly that keeping their home warm is part of the value proposition of mining for them.
I know that. No mass movement.
21 apparently wants to scale out appliance and device mining to the mass market. That hasn't happened because no one has done it yet. The mass market isn't interested in (perhaps less than optimally efficient) mining rigs as heating units, but they'll be happy with an integrated plug-in unit that costs them less because it mines for the manufacturer.
So you are asserting that selling space heaters to individuals didn't work because no one made an integrated plug-n-play process? And the retailers of appliances can make it so resolving connectivity and operational issues
You don't $116 million to launch that over the internet, unless the point is you need to have it in all retailers and with name brand names on the products.
The only really viable market is space heating thus limited to winter months and cold climates. The other appliance markets are not viable because too small of a ROI for the hassle of installation/maintenance and/or have superior replacements.
Also, there no real tax burden to the manufacturer, mining revenue is taxed essentially the same as product or service revenue, especially if converted to fiat right away.
You are saying the manufacturer will sell the device at a lower price (taking all the mined coins) but the consumer will pay the same electric bill, then bother to keep the miner running well
Any shell games on who pays the utility bill don't resolve the tax culpability (at least in the USA).
Some people will do it for space heating in cold enough climates. Most people won't, at least not a quick ramp up in the West and third world. China would be the largest market I bet, because of their combination of frugal mindset, engineering and math acumen, I think no income tax, authorities can get top-down things done that align with their global Technocracy goals (Smart electric meters, etc), and developing youthful demographics economy. Again these are likely sales to cash and limited network effects.
The other big target market are the smartphones in developing markets, but again the economics are not very compelling.