[unethical_ban]

Your first paragraph and your second are not tied together.

You say these things like Google and Apple are inherently better because music streaming is a bolt-on.

I like Spotify for the same reason I like Roku. The product they provide is their mission. Spotify doesn't want me on Google, or Apple, or Echo. It wants me to listen on its platform.

Roku doesn't give a damn what content I view. Its mission is to make a good streaming player.

---

Now, you're correct, they need to make more money. But I use them in principle because I want them to win.

[scarface74]

I would like to see Spotify become healthy and profitable. There is no reason you shouldn’t want more competition but the odds are against them. The last 18 years are full of failed and failing music subscription services - from PressPlay and MusicNet back in the early 2000s, to Zune, to whatever the service that MS launched with MTV, Napster 2.0, Tidal, etc.

As far as Roku, that’s not a great example. I have 3 Roku TVs and a Roku stick, but they definitely aren’t the model I prefer - “I give you money and you give me stuff and leave me alone”.

For starters, the shortcut buttons on their remotes are hardwired and branded to whoever gave them the most money this month. I have one with a Rdio button (a dead service) and another with a shortcut to CBSNews.

Then half of their home screen is taken up with an ad. When you sign up for an account it’s a Godaddy style up sell.

They make money by both tracking your viewing habits and subscriptions that are bought through their service.

The Roku interface is slower than my third generation AppleTVs not to mention my AppleTV 4K.

The Roku’s saving grace is the much better remote app and private listening.

[remir]

If I'm not mistaken, I think you can pair Airpods with the Apple TV and have private listening.

[scarface74]

You’re right.

https://www.macworld.com/article/3250084/home-tech/how-to-us...

But now I have mixed feelings about that...

- The AirPods cost more than the 32 inch Roku TCL TV.

- It’s Apple, I should expect to pay out the nose for anything Apple related that I buy.

- I can buy a Roku stick for $49 for the TV in my home gym that only has a 3rd gen AppleTV and use my phone for private listening.

- I’ve already got to convince my wife to let me get a 27 inch iMsc.

- If I get the AirPods my wife is going to see how convenient they are and want a pair too.

First World Problems....

[kalleboo]

The AppleTV works with any standard Bluetooth headphones/speakers, not just AirPods

[scarface74]

Oh yeah. And another advantage of Roku’s private listening is that all of my exercise equipment has speakers and a 3.5 inch jack. I can turn on private listening on my phone and pipe the audio from my phone to my treadmill, elliptical and bike. I don’t have to wear headphones and I can keep the audio down so it doesn’t disturb the rest of my family.