In these modern times I don't think any company actually trusts the contractors that have been hired to make a product.
You (some big name company) hire some company to make 10,000 widgets; your contractors may turn around and make 300,000 widgets sell you the 10,000 widgets per the agreement and sell the other 290,000 into other channels. They may sell the ones that didn't pass QA, they may make ones with cheaper parts, etc.
How do you stop this? See above - the part has to phone home and you can enable it (or not!) because you've got a registry of which things are legit and which aren't.
Also, this lets the companies spy on you. Errr.. Collect telemetry to allow them to improve the product.
You (some big name company) hire some company to make 10,000 widgets; your contractors may turn around and make 300,000 widgets sell you the 10,000 widgets per the agreement and sell the other 290,000 into other channels. They may sell the ones that didn't pass QA, they may make ones with cheaper parts, etc.
How do you stop this? See above - the part has to phone home and you can enable it (or not!) because you've got a registry of which things are legit and which aren't.
Also, this lets the companies spy on you. Errr.. Collect telemetry to allow them to improve the product.