Roku has acknowledged user feedback regarding its testing of auto-playing video ads prior to displaying the home screen. Many Roku-powered smart TV users are not pleased …
Recently, Roku device owners began sharing their experiences with these ads on Reddit and other community forums.
“I switched on my Roku and was greeted with an unskippable ad for a movie before I even reached the standard Roku home screen. Is anyone else experiencing this?”
“I experienced the same thing today. If this continues, my Roku devices will be thrown away.”
“Yes, this started for me last night. Extremely disappointing and intrusive.”
In a statement to Arstechnica, Roku confirmed the initiative as a “test.”
When contacted for clarification, a Roku spokesperson indicated that the autoplaying ads are part of their expected trials and not a fixed feature of the Roku OS at this time. They mentioned it is merely an exploration of ad capabilities.
The representative explained that Roku’s operations “have consistently required ongoing testing and innovation in areas like design, navigation, content, and our superior advertising offerings,” adding:
“This recent test exemplifies our efforts to discover new ways to present brands and programming while ensuring a pleasant and straightforward user experience.”
The ads are intended to be skippable, with an option to close them, but not all users are encountering this function.
“I just turned on my TV to find a video playing on the home screen advertising a trailer? I hope this is a one-time occurrence. I discarded all my Amazon boxes years ago due to this nonsense. If this continues, my Rokus will follow suit.”
“I experienced this as well […] If this happens again, I, too, will be getting rid of all Roku products.”
“This is completely unacceptable, and if it persists, I’ll be discarding this device. How dare you force me to watch a streaming ad on a device I already purchased before I can choose an app for another service? This must end.”
“This is absolutely not acceptable, and if this continues, I will never use or sell a Roku device again. I can’t believe they thought they could get away with such an intrusive full-screen ad.”
Many users are declaring their intent to abandon Roku if this trial becomes permanent. Some express interest in reverting to Chromecast, while others suggest that Apple TV is the only platform likely to remain free of disruptive ads.
Photo: Roku
