4 ms·

I use roku simply because its not connected to a big tech company. Same reason I use spotify. I wonder how many others there are like me

jedimastert 5y ago
> Same reason I use spotify I think it's pretty safe to call Spotify a big tech company at this point
- panopticon 5y ago
  It's a weird world where a company that does billions in annual revenue isn't considered big.
  - modo_mario 5y ago
    It's big but it's tied to a single service as opposed to being some huge conglomerate like microsoft or google that has it's hands into dozens of markets.
  - hnra 5y ago
    I think a lot of people use the phrase "big tech" to refer to the giants whom use lobbying, monopoly power, etc. to stay disproportionately big.
    - rocqua 5y ago
      Spotify is starting to do this with podcasts.
      - girvo 5y ago
        Though their UI really needs some work in my opinion for it to be worth it. I subscribed specifically to listen to their exclusive podcasts, but bounced off and cancelled a month later due to it being a honestly not great experience. It's possible that my expectations don't match the wider worlds though: my girlfriend loves Spotify and uses it for podcasts as well as music. For me, music requires album-focused UI, and I honestly prefer having Podcasts broken out into it's own app or interface. Mixing the two just didn't feel right.
      - hedora 5y ago
        Happy Tidal user here. :-)
    - cobalt 5y ago
      or any company that has their hands in everything
  - TheCoelacanth 5y ago
    It makes sense when you are comparing them to companies that do hundreds of billions in annual revenue. Big and small are relative.
asadlionpk 5y ago
I am the opposite. Big tech is under scrutiny and are watched closely for the data they collect. These small companies are in lawless territory and heavily collect questionable data.
- lotsofpulp 5y ago
  Every company is only a few bad quarters away from selling data about its users, and since smaller companies are less resilient, I would say your data is far more secure in a FAANG.
etempleton 5y ago
It is the small advertising companies that deploy the truly terrifying advertising tracking.
- modo_mario 5y ago
  Is spotify an advertising company now? Also how are the small advertising companies doing the truly terrifying advertising tracking? Are they tracking me across the web when i go to seemingly completely unrelated sites like google, fb, etc?
techrat 5y ago
The big problem with Spotify is that they're primarily controlled by the labels with their licensing agreements. All of the majors also own portions of shares within the service. People also don't realise that I heart Radio is Clearchannel rebranded. The closest thing to an actual independent streaming service I'd say we have right now is Beatport or Bandcamp. The situation that Spotify finds itself in, along with Roku, is that they are still at the mercy of who supplies them their content. Until they diversify and provide exclusive content of their own that keeps people subscribed (ala Netflix), they're doomed once labels and studios want to me-too and spin off their own services. Disney used to primarily have deals with Netflix, now they've split that off into Disney+. Netflix is able to maintain because of their content. I doubt Spotify will. Nor will Roku. So even if you have the impression that they're not 'connected to' a big tech company, they're definitely at the mercy of if not already somehow owned by.
- lsiebert 5y ago
  There is in fact a Roku channel, where they've picked up some licensing of content, but they aren't making their own unique stuff atm.
- danielscrubs 5y ago
  I’d say that’s way healthier than Google, Apple and Microsoft owning every single thing. It is just scary how big these companies are, but because so many in HN are working for them I don’t expect it to be a popular opinion.
scarface74 5y ago
Roku strong arms content providers all the time. Apple ID much more neutral when it comes to content providers. No, Apple does not force content providers to pay through the App Store. Roku forced HBO Max to make a deal. https://www.cnet.com/news/roku-hbo-max-finally-strike-deal-stream-wonder-woman-1984-how-to/ https://www.cnet.com/news/roku-hbo-max-finally-strike-deal-s... Roku strong arms Fox https://www.techhive.com/article/3519910/roku-fox-and-the-threat-of-streaming-blackouts.html https://www.techhive.com/article/3519910/roku-fox-and-the-th... NBCUniversal Peacock https://awfulannouncing.com/nbc/nbcuniversal-threatens-pull-channels-from-roku-dispute-over-adding-peacock.html https://awfulannouncing.com/nbc/nbcuniversal-threatens-pull-...

jedimastert 5y ago

> Same reason I use spotify I think it's pretty safe to call Spotify a big tech company at this point

panopticon 5y ago
It's a weird world where a company that does billions in annual revenue isn't considered big.
- modo_mario 5y ago
  It's big but it's tied to a single service as opposed to being some huge conglomerate like microsoft or google that has it's hands into dozens of markets.
- hnra 5y ago
  I think a lot of people use the phrase "big tech" to refer to the giants whom use lobbying, monopoly power, etc. to stay disproportionately big.
  - rocqua 5y ago
    Spotify is starting to do this with podcasts.
    - girvo 5y ago
      Though their UI really needs some work in my opinion for it to be worth it. I subscribed specifically to listen to their exclusive podcasts, but bounced off and cancelled a month later due to it being a honestly not great experience. It's possible that my expectations don't match the wider worlds though: my girlfriend loves Spotify and uses it for podcasts as well as music. For me, music requires album-focused UI, and I honestly prefer having Podcasts broken out into it's own app or interface. Mixing the two just didn't feel right.
    - hedora 5y ago
      Happy Tidal user here. :-)
  - cobalt 5y ago
    or any company that has their hands in everything
- TheCoelacanth 5y ago
  It makes sense when you are comparing them to companies that do hundreds of billions in annual revenue. Big and small are relative.

asadlionpk 5y ago

I am the opposite. Big tech is under scrutiny and are watched closely for the data they collect. These small companies are in lawless territory and heavily collect questionable data.

lotsofpulp 5y ago
Every company is only a few bad quarters away from selling data about its users, and since smaller companies are less resilient, I would say your data is far more secure in a FAANG.

etempleton 5y ago

It is the small advertising companies that deploy the truly terrifying advertising tracking.

modo_mario 5y ago
Is spotify an advertising company now? Also how are the small advertising companies doing the truly terrifying advertising tracking? Are they tracking me across the web when i go to seemingly completely unrelated sites like google, fb, etc?

techrat 5y ago

The big problem with Spotify is that they're primarily controlled by the labels with their licensing agreements. All of the majors also own portions of shares within the service. People also don't realise that I heart Radio is Clearchannel rebranded. The closest thing to an actual independent streaming service I'd say we have right now is Beatport or Bandcamp. The situation that Spotify finds itself in, along with Roku, is that they are still at the mercy of who supplies them their content. Until they diversify and provide exclusive content of their own that keeps people subscribed (ala Netflix), they're doomed once labels and studios want to me-too and spin off their own services. Disney used to primarily have deals with Netflix, now they've split that off into Disney+. Netflix is able to maintain because of their content. I doubt Spotify will. Nor will Roku. So even if you have the impression that they're not 'connected to' a big tech company, they're definitely at the mercy of if not already somehow owned by.

lsiebert 5y ago
There is in fact a Roku channel, where they've picked up some licensing of content, but they aren't making their own unique stuff atm.
danielscrubs 5y ago
I’d say that’s way healthier than Google, Apple and Microsoft owning every single thing. It is just scary how big these companies are, but because so many in HN are working for them I don’t expect it to be a popular opinion.

scarface74 5y ago

Roku strong arms content providers all the time. Apple ID much more neutral when it comes to content providers. No, Apple does not force content providers to pay through the App Store. Roku forced HBO Max to make a deal. https://www.cnet.com/news/roku-hbo-max-finally-strike-deal-stream-wonder-woman-1984-how-to/ https://www.cnet.com/news/roku-hbo-max-finally-strike-deal-s... Roku strong arms Fox https://www.techhive.com/article/3519910/roku-fox-and-the-threat-of-streaming-blackouts.html https://www.techhive.com/article/3519910/roku-fox-and-the-th... NBCUniversal Peacock https://awfulannouncing.com/nbc/nbcuniversal-threatens-pull-channels-from-roku-dispute-over-adding-peacock.html https://awfulannouncing.com/nbc/nbcuniversal-threatens-pull-...