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Android TV Update Puts Home-Screen Ads On Multi-Thousand-Dollar Sony Smart TVs (arstechnica.com)
Google is testing a new "Pilot Program" that puts a row of advertisements on the Android TV home screen. XDA Developers, which was the first to report the program, says: "We're currently seeing reports that it has shown up in Sony smart TVs, the Mi Box 3 from Xiaomi, NVIDIA Shield TV, and others." Ars Technica reports: The advertising is a "Sponsored Channel" part of the "Android TV Core Services" app that ships with all Android TV devices. A "Channel" in Android TV parlance means an entire row of thumbnails in the UI will be dedicated to "sponsored" content. Google provided XDA Developers with a statement saying that yes, this is on purpose, but for now it's a "pilot program."
Sony has tersely worded a support page detailing the "Sponsored channel," too. There's no mention here of it being a pilot program. Sony's page, titled "A sponsored channel has suddenly appeared on my TV Home menu," says, "This change is included in the latest Android TV Launcher app (Home app) update. The purpose is to help you discover new apps and contents for your TV." Sony goes on to say, "This channel is managed by Google" and "the Sponsored channel cannot be customized." Sony basically could replace the entire page with a "Deal with it" sunglasses gif, and it would send the same message.
Sony has tersely worded a support page detailing the "Sponsored channel," too. There's no mention here of it being a pilot program. Sony's page, titled "A sponsored channel has suddenly appeared on my TV Home menu," says, "This change is included in the latest Android TV Launcher app (Home app) update. The purpose is to help you discover new apps and contents for your TV." Sony goes on to say, "This channel is managed by Google" and "the Sponsored channel cannot be customized." Sony basically could replace the entire page with a "Deal with it" sunglasses gif, and it would send the same message.
1) Never EVER give your TV direct internet access
2) If you want a “smart tv”, use an external box which serves content to the TV via HDMI
3) See #1
These devices aren’t supported more than two or three years anyway - if you give them internet access, you’re providing a nice easy way for bad guys into your home.
Think of a smart tv as just another badly designed IoT device.
#DeleteChrome
I've got a Samsung Smart TV, but it keeps trying to switch me to their online Korean channels. Everytime it starts, by default, its on their channels, trying to show me k-pop or some such. I got sick of it, unplugged it from the internet and use a TV box instead. The TV still switches to its default channels every-time, but they don't get the benefit of forcing me to watch the channels they control, instead it just shows an error message.
It's not just the TV, Bixby! It pops up, to use it you have to agree to an invasive EULA, to turn it off, you have to start it up, agree to the invasive EULA, then it only turns the button off, not Bixby or the invasive snooping it does. That cost them a smartphone sale on the last upgrade.
The TV shit will cost them a TV sale on the next upgrade of TVs.
Dear Samsung, Fuck You.
An ex-customer.