Agreed Seaquestor, and they may do just. Because attaching the device to the seat-back would also be more convenient for using it, I expect Alaska will have some sort of mounting for seat-backs. I don't know if they would make it secure to prevent theft as well. It's possible that they will simply employ very rigid inventory control. IMO, they will collect all rented units before landing.
However the issue being discussed is use of the device at the gate prior to boarding, during layovers and on connecting flights. Given what appears to be excessive risk of content theft in the current design, I doubt that content providers would let that happen.
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