Patent Reveals Plans to Introduce Ads During Pauses, Potentially Changing Viewing Experience
Roku, the popular TV and streaming device manufacturer, has stirred controversy with its recent patent filing unveiling plans to revolutionize advertising on its platform. The company aims to introduce technology that would seamlessly integrate advertisements into the pause screen, potentially transforming every moment of viewer downtime into a revenue-generating opportunity.
The patent, filed in 2023, outlines Roku’s vision to inject ads into third-party content using HDMI connections, marking a significant departure from traditional advertising methods. With its business model heavily reliant on ad revenues and services, Roku is keen on exploring innovative ways to maximize profitability in an increasingly competitive market.
According to Janko Roettgers, the mind behind the Lowpass newsletter, Roku’s ad-driven approach has proven lucrative, with ads and services accounting for a substantial portion of the company’s gross profit, surpassing $1.5 billion in 2023 alone. Notably, Roku’s screensaver ads hold immense value, to the extent that third-party developers are prohibited from integrating their own screensavers into their apps.
Until now, one of the rare instances where Roku couldn’t deliver ads was when users switched to external devices like gaming consoles or streaming boxes. However, Roku’s proposed technology aims to change that narrative by monitoring video signals from external devices, identifying pauses in content consumption, and seamlessly overlaying targeted ads onto the screen during these intervals.
For instance, a gamer pausing a session of Super Mario Bros. on their Nintendo Switch could return to see advertisements for Switch accessories or other Mario titles overlaid on their game screen, offering a glimpse into Roku’s vision of integrated advertising.
While the unveiling of this patent sparks speculation about the future of advertising in the streaming landscape, its implementation remains uncertain. As with many patents, not all concepts materialize into tangible products or services. However, given Roku’s track record and the potential for increased profitability, it’s conceivable that similar technologies could become commonplace in the future of television.
As consumers navigate this evolving landscape, the debate surrounding the ethics and implications of targeted advertising intensifies, underscoring the need for transparency and accountability in technological innovation.
