Roku TVs could one day show ads as soon as you pause playing a game on a connected Xbox, or stop a stream on an Apple TV.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/13903698

Roku is exploring ways to show consumers ads on its TVs even when they are not using its streaming platform: The company has been looking into injecting ads into the video feeds of third-party devices connected to its TVs, according to a recent patent filing.

This way, when an owner of a Roku TV takes a short break from playing a game on their Xbox, or streaming something on an Apple TV device connected to the TV set, Roku would use that break to show ads. Roku engineers have even explored ways to figure out what the consumer is doing with their TV-connected device in order to display relevant advertising.

  • Alisu [they/them]English
    23•3 months ago

    I imagine as soon as someone has to see an ad in the middle of their Call of duty match or whatever, they’d be either returning that tv or at least never buying anything from roku again. The brand would burn itself down, making people not want their tvs, which in turn makes them lose money by having less people using them and seeing their ads

    • peeonyou [he/him]English
      13•3 months ago

      which means they’ll increase the amount of ads they show to the rest of the suckers who continue to keep their roku/tv

      end result being anyone who keeps using roku anything just sees ads 24/7

    • RyanGosling [none/use name]English
      12•3 months ago

      I imagine as soon as someone has to see an ad in the middle of their Call of duty match or whatever, they’d be either returning that tv or at least never buying anything from roku again.

      They’ll either SWAT Roku executives or go on a mass shooting rampage at a local Arby’s