Roku is testing video ads on viewers before they even land on the TV’s home screen. Lots of users on Reddit had reported seeing movie trailers, including one for Moana 2, before they landed on the Roku home screen. Some complained that it was an unskippable ad, but it appears there is an option to close the ad.
A company spokesperson insisted that the ad was a trial and not a permanent feature of Roku OS. In a statement, the company said it was looking for ways to display ads while keeping the experience “delightful and simple.” If it goes ahead with this ad format, Reddit users have threatened to bin their Roku devices or at least stop recommending them to their friends and family.
To be fair to Roku, the company does offer budget-friendly products, so it’s only natural that it tries to cover some of its costs via advertisements. Many companies, including phone manufacturers, have opted to introduce ads in their operating systems to help justify the lower cost of their devices.
Roku is also a publicly traded company, which means it must balance consumer needs with the needs of its shareholders. Generating revenues through advertisements is one way it can reassure shareholders that it’s still worth backing. It went public in 2017, and its stock had a good year in 2021, but since 2022, its share price has slumped and struggled to climb back up.
Given the bad reaction these ads received among those it has tested on and the potential backlash that a permanent change in this direction could have, Roku may decide to figure out another way to boost the number of eyeballs viewing ads. Only time will tell whether it chooses this in-your-face approach or goes with something less irritating.
Source: Ars