Janko Roettgers
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jank0.bsky.social
Janko Roettgers
@jank0.bsky.social
2.7K followers 46 following 250 posts
Reporter, covering streaming, AR, VR etc. Writing a weekly newsletter at www.lowpass.cc.
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jank0.bsky.social
Also in Lowpass today: Netflix just copied HQ Trivia www.lowpass.cc/p/tv-cameras...
A mocked-up screenshot of the upcoming HQ Trivia-like Netflix game Best Guess Live
November 13, 2025 at 8:40 PM
jank0.bsky.social
Today in Lowpass: Where have all the TV cameras gone? www.lowpass.cc/p/tv-cameras...
Where have all the TV cameras gone?
Video calls and computer vision-powered games were supposed to make smart TVs more fun. Then the reality of hardware margins set it.
www.lowpass.cc
November 13, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Reposted by Janko Roettgers
twit.tv
New Podcast Episode:
This Week in Tech: Ferret Trousering
Can Apple TV Fix the Broken World of Streaming Sports?
with @leolaporte.me, @iainthomson.bsky.social, @ashleyesqueda.com, @jank0.bsky.social
Ferret Trousering | TWiT.TV
Elon Musk’s eye-popping trillion-dollar pay package, Apple’s big F1 gamble, and Meta’s scam-friendly ad policies set the stage for a candid debate on Big Tech’s priorities and
twit.tv
November 10, 2025 at 7:05 AM
jank0.bsky.social
Can you really not report a spammy newsletter to Substack without installing its app first? I know Substack is big on weird dark-pattern growth hacks, but that's insane. support.substack.com/hc/en-us/art...
How do I report a publication to Substack?
Our Standards & Enforcement takes all reports of violations of our Content Guidelines seriously and thoroughly evaluates them. While we can't provide the outcome of every report, we will take a...
support.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 11:06 PM
jank0.bsky.social
Today in Lowpass: Sports streaming is a hot mess www.lowpass.cc/p/sports-str...
Sports streaming is a hot mess
There's more sports available on streaming services than ever, including every NFL game this season. But watching it all can be a challenge, as the YouTube TV ESPN spat shows.
www.lowpass.cc
November 6, 2025 at 4:46 PM
jank0.bsky.social
What's up with Sonos reporting its earnings before the opening of the markets tomorrow morning? Odd move for a Santa Barbara company ...
November 4, 2025 at 9:47 PM
jank0.bsky.social
Amazon’s new Vega OS-based streaming stick has a Spotify problem www.lowpass.cc/p/fire-tv-se...
Amazon’s new Vega OS-based streaming stick has a Spotify problem
The new Fire TV Stick 4K Select doesn't have a native Spotify app. Instead, it relies on a clunky Spotify Connect workaround.
www.lowpass.cc
October 31, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Reposted by Janko Roettgers
reckless.bsky.social
Really fun to have @jank0.bsky.social publishing on The Verge - and this dive into free-to-play mechanics invading Hollywood is just wild www.theverge.com/column/80525...
The future of Hollywood is sexy, expensive slop
Cheaply produced, highly shareable, and designed to make you pay.
www.theverge.com
October 31, 2025 at 5:06 PM
jank0.bsky.social
In today's Lowpass newsletter, I explore why YouTube's latest UI changes on TV are such a big deal www.lowpass.cc/p/youtube-tv...
Inside YouTube's transformation on TV
YouTube has become the force in streaming without even trying. That changes now, with tweaks that make its smart TV app look more like Netflix.
www.lowpass.cc
October 30, 2025 at 4:52 PM
jank0.bsky.social
My latest for Fast Company ... www.fastcompany.com/91428971/hbo...
What Hollywood’s next potential merger means for streaming
From price increases to apps going away, a Warner Bros. Discovery sale could have big implications for consumers.
www.fastcompany.com
October 24, 2025 at 11:47 PM
jank0.bsky.social
Today in Lowpass: Hollywood is in love with microdramas, for all the wrong reasons www.lowpass.cc/p/microdrama...
Hollywood is in love with microdramas, for all the wrong reasons
What it's like to actually use ReelShort, the most popular microdrama app in the U.S.
www.lowpass.cc
October 23, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Reposted by Janko Roettgers
jank0.bsky.social
Samsung's Project Moohan Android XR headset will launch with FitXR, Synth Riders, Cubism and other popular VR apps and games www.lowpass.cc/p/android-xr...
Launch apps leak: MLB, Synth Riders, FitXR coming to Android XR
Samsung's headset is getting some heavy hitters
www.lowpass.cc
October 20, 2025 at 5:45 PM
jank0.bsky.social
Scoop: Here are some of the apps that will be available on Samsung's Project Moohan Android XR headset when it launches tomorrow:

1) FitXR - a VR workout app that's popular on Meta Quest
A screenshot from the VR workout app FitXR
October 20, 2025 at 7:08 PM
jank0.bsky.social
Samsung's Project Moohan Android XR headset will launch with FitXR, Synth Riders, Cubism and other popular VR apps and games www.lowpass.cc/p/android-xr...
Launch apps leak: MLB, Synth Riders, FitXR coming to Android XR
Samsung's headset is getting some heavy hitters
www.lowpass.cc
October 20, 2025 at 5:45 PM
jank0.bsky.social
This drill feels a little too real #earthquake abc7news.com/post/great-s...
Great Shake Out: Millions of Californians to participate in annual earthquake drill
Happening at 10:16 a.m., the annual earthquake drill is meant to make sure we're all ready for when "the big one" hits. Here's a simulated look at what a 7.0 quake feels like.
abc7news.com
October 16, 2025 at 4:27 PM
jank0.bsky.social
Today in Lowpass: Meta is building a smart TV – in VR www.lowpass.cc/p/meta-horiz...
Meta is building a smart TV – in VR
Mark Zuckerberg has long wanted to turn TVs into XR apps. Meta's new Horizon TV app is the closest thing yet to realize that vision.
www.lowpass.cc
October 16, 2025 at 4:01 PM
jank0.bsky.social
Next up for Horizon Worlds, Meta's metaverse: gaming on Instagram? www.lowpass.cc/p/meta-horiz...
Meta wants to take its metaverse everywhere
Also: RIP, TiVo
www.lowpass.cc
October 9, 2025 at 8:19 PM
jank0.bsky.social
Today in Lowpass: Meta wants to take Horizon Worlds everywhere ... even to Instagram

www.lowpass.cc/p/meta-horiz...
Meta wants to take its metaverse everywhere
Also: RIP, TiVo
www.lowpass.cc
October 9, 2025 at 4:40 PM
jank0.bsky.social
Got another story on The Verge today: Some of the Redbox / Chicken Soup for the Soul IP rights might end up with a company suing ISPs for copyright infringement www.theverge.com/tech/791013/...
Redbox’s next product may be piracy lawsuits
A little-known company wants to spend $100 million to go after internet providers that allegedly ignored DMCA notices.
www.theverge.com
October 2, 2025 at 10:04 PM
jank0.bsky.social
When Amazon announced a Fire TV stick running its brand-new Vega OS earlier this week, it didn't really spell out how it was going to make sure that the device has all the apps consumers expect.

Now we know: Amazon is going to run select Android apps in the cloud. www.lowpass.cc/p/amazon-veg...
Amazon's Vega OS launch trick: cloud-streamed apps
To bring missing streaming services to its new Linux-based Fire TV stick, Amazon is streaming Android apps from the cloud.
www.lowpass.cc
October 2, 2025 at 4:44 PM
jank0.bsky.social
Today, Amazon officially announced its first TV streaming device running Vega, a new operating system it has built in-house for its devices. 9to5google.com/2025/09/30/a...
Amazon launches Vega OS, its Android replacement for Fire TV with no sideloading
Amazon is officially ditching Android for its Fire TV lineup, with the new Vega OS launching today and without sideloading.
9to5google.com
September 30, 2025 at 8:51 PM
jank0.bsky.social
Amazon just announced Vega OS, two years after I first broke the news about its existence.
September 30, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Reposted by Janko Roettgers
jank0.bsky.social
Amazon posted a job listing a few days ago that confirms it plans to bring its still-unannounced Vega OS to TV streaming hardware this year. An announcement could come as early as next week. www.lowpass.cc/p/amazon-veg...
Screenshot of text: "You will lead a team of engineers for the Prime Video (PV) Fire TV team, with full responsibility for the Vega OS experience. The team is responsible for the dedicated Prime Video app on Vega OS, as well as all PV experiences on the Vega Launcher. With the app launching in 2025, you will get to shape the future of this product as well as the culture of the team."
September 25, 2025 at 4:25 PM
jank0.bsky.social
Amazon posted a job listing a few days ago that confirms it plans to bring its still-unannounced Vega OS to TV streaming hardware this year. An announcement could come as early as next week. www.lowpass.cc/p/amazon-veg...
Screenshot of text: "You will lead a team of engineers for the Prime Video (PV) Fire TV team, with full responsibility for the Vega OS experience. The team is responsible for the dedicated Prime Video app on Vega OS, as well as all PV experiences on the Vega Launcher. With the app launching in 2025, you will get to shape the future of this product as well as the culture of the team."
September 25, 2025 at 4:25 PM
jank0.bsky.social
Scoop: Amazon just accidentally confirmed that it launching its new Vega OS on TV streaming hardware this year www.lowpass.cc/p/amazon-veg...
Scoop: Amazon confirms new TV OS launching this year
Amazon plans to replace Android with Vega on Fire TV devices. A launch is planned for 2025, the company accidentally confirmed.
www.lowpass.cc
September 25, 2025 at 3:33 PM