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Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

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Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#51

Post by coldacid »

post_break wrote: post #8

If this is true, could you imagine if Google tried to pull this on Apple? Making YouTube music show up when using the siri remote. These allegations are serious, and if Roku isn't lying it's straight up crazy.

Apple would laugh and tell Google to fuck off, right before removing every app for iOS that even contacts any Google service. They're about the only company out there with the clout and cash to give Google the finger without having to go to the courts (legal and/or public opinion) to do it.

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#52

Post by Nadya »

pythonaut_16 wrote: post #44
resizeitplz wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is configurable. Google is asking Roku to override the user's chosen configuration.

He's clearly suggesting making context aware search an option. "When searching within an app, favor results from that app" vs "When searching within an app always favor my default"

>"When searching within an app, favor results from that app"

vs

>"When searching within an app, favor results from a related app"

There is a big difference between these two things. "Youtube" is not the same as "Youtube Music" in the same way that "Xbox" is not the same as "Xbox Live".

As p49k explained it - if you were trying to send an email from YouTube would you expect Gmail to come up or your preferred email app? What if Gmail was renamed to "Youtube Mail"? Would that change your expected behavior?

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#53

Post by malka »

fra wrote: post #14
s3r3nity wrote: post #2

> Roku alleges Google has asked it to favor YouTube music results from voice commands made on the Roku remote while the YouTube app is open, even if the user's music preference is set to default to another music app, like Pandora. > Roku says Google has threatened to require Roku to use certain chip sets or memory cards that would force Roku to increase the price of its hardware product, which competes directly with…

I'm not quite ready to take out the pitchforks... > Roku says Google has threatened to require Roku to use certain chip sets or memory cards that would force Roku to increase the price of its hardware product, which competes directly with Google's Chromecast. This could simply mean Google is requiring chips with hardware VP9 support > Roku alleges Google has asked it to favor YouTube music results from voice commands…

> This is both what many users would expect

If I'm watching a video on youtube and ask to play music, no I do NOT want at all youtube to handle that.

Youtube music is crap. Google has proven many times that they are totally unable to manage music. They should stop to try, because it is utterly embarrassing.

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#54

Post by cirenehc »

> Roku alleges Google has asked it to favor YouTube music results from voice commands made on the Roku remote while the YouTube app is open, even if the user's music preference is set to default to another music app, like Pandora.

How else do you use voice search for a music video on Youtube? If I open youtube and do a voice search. I'm expecting the search to be constrained to the app.

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#55

Post by 015a »

fra wrote: post #14
s3r3nity wrote: post #2

> Roku alleges Google has asked it to favor YouTube music results from voice commands made on the Roku remote while the YouTube app is open, even if the user's music preference is set to default to another music app, like Pandora. > Roku says Google has threatened to require Roku to use certain chip sets or memory cards that would force Roku to increase the price of its hardware product, which competes directly with…

I'm not quite ready to take out the pitchforks... > Roku says Google has threatened to require Roku to use certain chip sets or memory cards that would force Roku to increase the price of its hardware product, which competes directly with Google's Chromecast. This could simply mean Google is requiring chips with hardware VP9 support > Roku alleges Google has asked it to favor YouTube music results from voice commands…

> if I have an app open, voice search works within that app

This is not how Siri or the Google Assistant works on iOS, Android, or Apple TV.

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#56

Post by intergalplan »

honksillet wrote: post #16

I guess this is a good a place as any to say that the video quality on youtubeTV is atrocious. I was shocked when I watch a live NFL game on the Roku amazon prime app. Also ytTV has just about double in price in less than 3 years. Roku has some issues too. Namely, it autodownloads a new random app about once a week so Im constant deleting apps from my home page. Lastly, this sounds a lot like, "Comcast Cale users mig…

> Roku has some issues too. Namely, it autodownloads a new random app about once a week so Im constant deleting apps from my home page.

WTF? New random apps about once a week? I've never seen this. Have multiple Roku boxes and a couple TVs with integrated Roku. Using them for years. Maybe there's some kind of "suggest new channels to me" checkbox you've got checked in account preferences?

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#57

Post by calderwoodra »

Either the journalist has interpreted Roku's claims incorrectly, or Roku is spreading falsehoods.

It's a very common practice for streaming services to make crazy demands about the devices they're on.

Roku[1], Google TV[2] and Firesticks[3] all have Netflix buttons on the remote not because they wanted them there, but because Netflix forces them to with the threat that they will blacklist their device.

And inevitably, all devices comply because they know they won't be able to sell the product without Netflix support.

[1] https://cigars.roku.com/v1/http%3A%2F%2Fimage.roku.com%2Fw%2...

[2] https://external-preview.redd.it/9itjeCYci2NPP7Vxr9onH_DFv7E...

[3] https://i.gadgets360cdn.com/large/amazon_fire_tv_stick_alexa...

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#58

Post by wmf »

calderwoodra wrote: post #57

Either the journalist has interpreted Roku's claims incorrectly, or Roku is spreading falsehoods. It's a very common practice for streaming services to make crazy demands about the devices they're on. Roku[1], Google TV[2] and Firesticks[3] all have Netflix buttons on the remote not because they wanted them there, but because Netflix forces them to with the threat that they will blacklist their device. And inevitably…

I agree that everybody involved is evil but we're still allowed to have opinions about that. Roku's evil and Google's evil don't necessarily cancel out.

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#59

Post by intergalplan »

twobitshifter wrote: post #34
dubcanada wrote: post #7

I'm surprised this is the first time someone tried to push their weight and try and get what they want. But it does seem to be a baseless claim, we have no idea actually what was asked. I think it's a little too early to jump onboard any side.

Roku is not a completely innocent content portal. Roku notably sells buttons on its remotes tied to services you may not even use. A consumer friendly remote would have configurable buttons, so they’re not against favoriting certain apps over others. Within Roku itself you’ll get sidebar ads for certain video services. Roku is happy to prioritize your app but only if you pay for it.

Interestingly, there are 3rd-party remotes that contain different "suggested" channels. I've got one with six of those buttons, which is actually kinda nice because 5/6 are channels I use.

I wouldn't be surprised if there exist programmable remotes that allow custom launchers, at least for the set of all channels Roku has ever had on their own buttons (they must be giving each app they put on there a unique, or at least rarely-recycled, code, since remotes with different promoted channels on them do work as expected on Rokus other than the one they came with). Though, yes, it would be nice if Roku let the user program those buttons on stock remotes.

Re: Roku says it may lose YouTube TV app after Google made anti-competitive demands

#60

Post by jellicle »

fra wrote: post #26
azinman2 wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not if I have the notion that search from a button on the remote is universal and I want to be taken directly to that content elsewhere. That’d be like suggesting Siri should only fetch content from the active app. It’s a signal for ranking, but not an absolute one.

That's what they are asking! Take it into account while ranking, not remove all other results: "[...] favor YouTube music results from voice commands made on the Roku remote while the YouTube app is open" Key word is "favor"

Voice commands aren't going to give you an exhaustive list of possibilities, they're going to play the top result.

Q. "Play Diamonds by Rihanna"

A1. "Playing Diamonds by Rihanna from Youtube Music"

A2. "Playing Diamonds by Rihanna from Spotify"

Either A1 or A2 will happen, but not both. There can be only one.

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