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Roku tells customers it is unable to strike a deal with YouTube

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Re: Roku tells customers it is unable to strike a deal with YouTube

#2

Post by gameswithgo »

It is so dumb and twisted that there even needs to be a deal. Any web browser can hit youtube, you can probably get to youtube via a web browser anyway on a roku, if not they could in principle do that.

Also dumb and twisted that as a paying youtube subscriber, I could buy a computer (a roku) and not be allowed to access youtube on it.

Do better, tech.

Re: Roku tells customers it is unable to strike a deal with YouTube

#3

Post by blendergeek »

> Roku still allows customers who bought and downloaded the YouTube TV app before it was removed from Roku's platform in April to use it.

Should that not read "Google still allows ..."? Roku would have no interest in blocking their users from using an old version of YouTube TV that predates Google's (allegedly) anti-competitive demands. Google, on the other hand, might see those old non-compliance YouTube TV apps as problematic.

Am I missing something here?

Re: Roku tells customers it is unable to strike a deal with YouTube

#4

Post by j1elo »

gameswithgo wrote: post #2

It is so dumb and twisted that there even needs to be a deal. Any web browser can hit youtube, you can probably get to youtube via a web browser anyway on a roku, if not they could in principle do that. Also dumb and twisted that as a paying youtube subscriber, I could buy a computer (a roku) and not be allowed to access youtube on it. Do better, tech.

Tech is fine. It's humans that get in the middle. And where I say "humans" you might very well read "money".

So, Do better, people.

Re: Roku tells customers it is unable to strike a deal with YouTube

#6

Post by claudiulodro »

blendergeek wrote: post #3

> Roku still allows customers who bought and downloaded the YouTube TV app before it was removed from Roku's platform in April to use it. Should that not read "Google still allows ..."? Roku would have no interest in blocking their users from using an old version of YouTube TV that predates Google's (allegedly) anti-competitive demands. Google, on the other hand, might see those old non-compliance YouTube TV apps as…

Google wants favorable distribution for YouTube TV over other streaming services Roku offers -- it's not about the users or the app or compliance.

Re: Roku tells customers it is unable to strike a deal with YouTube

#8

Post by mdasen »

blendergeek wrote: post #3

> Roku still allows customers who bought and downloaded the YouTube TV app before it was removed from Roku's platform in April to use it. Should that not read "Google still allows ..."? Roku would have no interest in blocking their users from using an old version of YouTube TV that predates Google's (allegedly) anti-competitive demands. Google, on the other hand, might see those old non-compliance YouTube TV apps as…

If Roku stopped Roku customers from using YouTube TV, it would force a lot of YouTube TV customers to either a) buy non-Roku devices; b) move to a different service like Hulu with Live TV, DirecTV Stream, Sling, FuboTV, etc.

If Roku removed YouTube TV from their boxes, it would put a lot of pressure on YouTube TV to agree to Roku's terms since they would likely start losing customers fast. Before, if a cable company had a dispute with a network, customers had to wait it out. If Roku has a dispute with YouTube TV, the customers can just switch to one of multiple replacements. That gives the box-providers a lot of leverage. Roku could even work with one of the alternatives to offer a switching bonus. "We're sorry that YouTube TV is being evil. If you switch to Hulu with Live TV, here's $10/mo off for the first year!"

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