Roku is testing new and frankly infuriating ways to foist advertisements on owners of its TV streaming devices.
While advertisements on screen savers, littered throughout the OS, and pre-roll and mid-roll adverts are becoming more and more prevalent as part of smart TV software, Roku is taking things a step further and (for some) a step too far.
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New tests involve bombarding viewers with advertisements before they even get to their home screen. Yes, when they turn on the television before reaching home base to check out what’s on from your live TV streaming service or try to tune into the last couple of minutes of a big game being shown via one of your subscription apps (where there’ll probably show you ads too!).
As the seconds of on-field action tick down, you’ll be watching ads instead. In fact, you might as well not bother watching the game at all at that point.
The tests were noticed by Reddit users, most of whom report seeing a loud and unskippable add for the film Moana 2 before they could reach their homepage. Man, The Rock really is unavoidable these days.
Roku says the test is designed to retain “a delightful and simple user experience” while also serving advertisers paying to keep the lights on at Roku HQ. It also denied the ad was unskippable, according to Gizmodo. Needless to say, Roku device owners are not happy.
“I’ve been a huge Roku advocate but this will end that. I may still use them, but I’m done telling everyone in my life to buy one,” wrote Reddit user judgeholden72.
Suialthor added: “I could accept the static ad on the side. Forcing a loud commercial is awful,” while tophawk369 chimed in: “Just had it happen to me for Moana. That’s absolute garbage. If they make me watch an ad to get to my apps to watch tv I’m out.”
Others called it “disappointing and intrusive” and one more called for the company to be publicly shamed. You’re welcome, FrozenLogger.
This aggression will not stand, man!
Roku devices like the Roku Streaming Stick 4K often sit in our best streaming devices list, but this sort of behaviour might be enough to dispel it. Users should at least have the right to get to their apps before you start bombarding them with apps.
