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Janko Roettgers

@jank0.bsky.social
3.1K followers 51 following 382 posts

Reporter, covering streaming, AR, VR etc. Writing a weekly newsletter at www.lowpass.cc.

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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Today in Lowpass: VR Glasses are Meta’s big bet on the future of TV www.lowpass.cc/p/meta-vr-gl...
lowpass.cc
VR Glasses are Meta’s big bet on the future of TV
Will people who didn't buy a Quest VR headset really pay $1300 for a TV replacement?
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Also on Lowpass this week: Snap's new Specs can't replace your phone yet, but still require a dedicated wireless plan www.lowpass.cc/p/snap-specs...
lowpass.cc
The curious case of Snap’s new Specs
Snap's AR glasses require a dedicated wireless plan despite not being a full phone replacement.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Today in Lowpass: an exclusive first look at Caldera Homes, the new music & smart home startup from Plex co-founder Elan Feingold www.lowpass.cc/p/plex-co-fo...
lowpass.cc
Exclusive: This is the new startup of Plex's co-founder
Elan Feingold is building hardware -- and a free music player for smart TVs.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
For Fast Company, I wrote about using AI as my physical therapist www.fastcompany.com/91596463/i-t...
fastcompany.com
I turned to AI when my doctor couldn’t fix my back pain. It actually helped
Millions of people are asking chatbots for health advice. Doctors say they can be useful, as long as you understand the tech's limits.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Today in Lowpass: The case against Netflix becoming an everything app www.lowpass.cc/p/the-case-a...
lowpass.cc
The case against Netflix becoming an everything app
Netflix is considering reselling third-party streaming services. Doing so might be a mistake.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Also on Lowpass today: A scoop 👀 Amazon, Roku are getting ready to launch new streamers www.lowpass.cc/p/amazon-rok...
lowpass.cc
Scoop: Amazon, Roku are getting ready to launch new streamers
Both companies had new remotes for still-unannounced hardware pass through the FCC this month.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Today in Lowpass: A look at SideQuest's plans to bring back the pioneering social VR platform Altspace www.lowpass.cc/p/altspace-s...
lowpass.cc
Altspace is coming back this fall
Altspace's social VR service is being resurrected three year after Microsoft shut it down.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
My latest Lowpass story is all about MCP and ChatGPT apps for media services www.lowpass.cc/p/streaming-...
lowpass.cc
Next up for streaming services: AI apps
Spotify and Tubi have already done it. Your favorite streamer may be next to build apps for ChatGPT and Claude.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Bloomberg has since confirmed my reporting: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
I'm back from vacation, with a scoop: Sonos will unveil a new pair of headphones at its hardware event next month www.lowpass.cc/p/sonos-ace-...
lowpass.cc
Sonos gets ready to launch new Ace Ultra headphones
With expanded Wi-Fi capabilities, the headphones may support the Sonos Voice assistant.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
The AI memory shortage is starting to impact smart TVs and streaming dongles. Will that accelerate Amazon's transition from Android-based Fire TV devices to Vega?
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
Today in Lowpass: RAMageddon is coming for streaming ... which is bad news for streamers like Netflix www.lowpass.cc/p/ramageddon...
lowpass.cc
RAMageddon is coming for streaming
Also: Sonos is launching .... something 👀
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Sonos CEO Tom Conrad says RAM price increases cost the company $14 million last quarter, but Sonos has no plans for any additional price hikes this year.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
What's that? A special edition of Lowpass this morning? Yes, that's exactly what it is ... www.lowpass.cc/p/netflix-as...
lowpass.cc
One startup's quest to change streaming for deaf people
From walking dogs to working with Netflix: How one founder wants to change streaming for deaf people.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 16/07/2026
This week, I changed my TV's home screen ... and then wrote about it: www.lowpass.cc/p/android-go...
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
When I started working on a story about AI microdramas for my Lowpass newsletter this week, I started to notice a familiar trend: Much of the hype around using AI for microdramas seemed to be about headlines and pitch decks, not the actual content.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
My latest for Fast Company: A look at Pokemon Go, which turns ten this week www.fastcompany.com/91571001/ten...
fastcompany.com
10 years later, ‘Pokémon Go’ is as popular as ever
Hundreds of millions of players have walked billions of miles to capture countless Pokémon. But replicating that success in new games has been challenging.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Today in Lowpass: AI microdramas are here ... and they're a bit of a mess www.lowpass.cc/p/ai-microdr...
lowpass.cc
AI microdramas are here
The future of microdramas is slop ... but there are also exceptions worth a second look.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
This has gone too VAR
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
BitTorrent turns 25 today. “Going into it, my plan was not to start a business,” says its founder Bram Cohen. “My plan was to start a revolution.” My latest for The Verge: www.theverge.com/tech/959848/...
theverge.com
BitTorrent’s disastrous, legendary, and controversial story
The file-sharing app launched 25 years ago and unleashed a wave of piracy that would shake Hollywood to its core.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Today in Lowpass: How digital library app Libby prepares for the AI onslaught www.lowpass.cc/p/libby-over...
lowpass.cc
How Libby prepares for the AI onslaught
OverDrive’s new CEO also has big plans for library streaming service Kanopy.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Today in Lowpass: How digital library app Libby prepares for the AI onslaught www.lowpass.cc/p/libby-over...
lowpass.cc
How Libby prepares for the AI onslaught
OverDrive’s new CEO also has big plans for library streaming service Kanopy.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Today in Lowpass: Broadcasters wanted to charge $43 for the World Cup. Their failure saved streaming www.lowpass.cc/p/world-cup-...
lowpass.cc
How the World Cup became a US streaming success story
Qatar’s hot summer and Venu’s failed launch contributed to better streaming options for US soccer fans.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Ohh look Meta has some AI glasses under its own brand now ... wonder where I heard that before 🙂 www.lowpass.cc/p/meta-ai-gl...
lowpass.cc
Scoop: Meta has more AI glasses coming, with mysterious docking support
The new glasses popped up in an FCC filing, will connect magnetically to a mysterious "debug tool."
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Earlier today, I sent out an incredible offer to Lowpass subscribers: Lifetime access to the paid tier for $150. And then I managed to mess up the link 🤦 This is the correct one: www.lowpass.cc/upgrade?offe...
lowpass.cc
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Today on Lowpass: Five predictions for Roku’s future www.lowpass.cc/p/five-predi...
lowpass.cc
Five predictions for Roku’s future
How getting acquired by Fox will change things for the streaming device maker, from its IoT business to its international expansion.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Newsletter advertising ain't what it used to be 😬
Screenshot of text: "Revenue this month, Month to date: $1"
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Today in Lowpass: Is Apple TV the new HBO? www.lowpass.cc/p/is-apple-t...
lowpass.cc
Is Apple TV the new HBO?
Unlike competitors like Netflix, Apple TV emphasizes tentpole titles over large catalogs. Ads could change that.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Today in Lowpass -- Animation artists face a new dilemma: AI or nay? www.lowpass.cc/p/google-dee...
lowpass.cc
Animation artists face a new dilemma: AI or nay?
The Book of Life director cancels AI project after backlash -- but not everyone is ready to say no to AI.
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Reposted by Janko Roettgers
Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Also in Lowpass this morning, a scoop: Meta is getting ready to launch another batch of AI glasses, and they'll feature some kind of magnetic docking support www.lowpass.cc/p/meta-ai-gl...
lowpass.cc
Scoop: Meta has more AI glasses coming, with mysterious docking support
The new glasses popped up in an FCC filing, will connect magnetically to a mysterious "debug tool."
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Also in Lowpass this morning, a scoop: Meta is getting ready to launch another batch of AI glasses, and they'll feature some kind of magnetic docking support www.lowpass.cc/p/meta-ai-gl...
lowpass.cc
Scoop: Meta has more AI glasses coming, with mysterious docking support
The new glasses popped up in an FCC filing, will connect magnetically to a mysterious "debug tool."
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Today in Lowpass: A look at Roku's new homescreen, and what it says about the company's strategy to court late adopters www.lowpass.cc/p/roku-home-...
lowpass.cc
The secret to Roku’s success: not being cool
Roku’s new homescreen makes a lot of sense for a company that has succeeded by building simple products for late adopters.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
Just in time for the holiday weekend, a bit of a different story: For the SF Standard, I wrote about how sleepy Los Gatos became the birthplace of streaming sfstandard.com/2026/05/24/l...
sfstandard.com
Los Gatos, the unlikely birthplace of the streaming revolution
Netflix cofounder Reed Hastings didn’t want a long commute. The rest is history.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Today in Lowpass: Hollywood AI gets agentic www.lowpass.cc/p/luma-agent...
lowpass.cc
AI video is moving beyond clip slop
AI companies are increasingly betting on selling agentic workflows to the entertainment industry.
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Reposted by Janko Roettgers
Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Got a scoop for Lowpass today: Netflix is building an AI animation studio www.lowpass.cc/p/netflix-in...
lowpass.cc
Netflix is building an AI animation studio
Netflix's new INKubator unit is staffing up to produce ‘feature-quality content’ with generative AI.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Got a scoop for Lowpass today: Netflix is building an AI animation studio www.lowpass.cc/p/netflix-in...
lowpass.cc
Netflix is building an AI animation studio
Netflix's new INKubator unit is staffing up to produce ‘feature-quality content’ with generative AI.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Some news on Lowpass this morning: Walmart’s next streaming stick will run Google TV again www.lowpass.cc/p/walmart-on...
lowpass.cc
Walmart’s next streaming stick will run Google TV again
The company is getting ready to release a new Onn streaming stick that looks just like the 2023 model.
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Reposted by Janko Roettgers
Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Today in Lowpass: Netflix is currently beta-testing its own native, AI-powered voice search ... and I got a first look at it www.lowpass.cc/p/ask-netfli...
lowpass.cc
Netflix tests its own AI-powered voice search
A new voice feature helps viewers dive deep into Netflix’s catalog while circumventing Gemini and other assistants.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Also on Lowpass today: Disney bets on AI -- and the backlash against it www.lowpass.cc/p/disney-ai-...
lowpass.cc
Disney bets on AI -- and the backlash against it
Disney CFO: When everything is AI, people will want to see Mickey in the flesh
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
The scammers are niching down
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Today in Lowpass: Netflix is currently beta-testing its own native, AI-powered voice search ... and I got a first look at it www.lowpass.cc/p/ask-netfli...
lowpass.cc
Netflix tests its own AI-powered voice search
A new voice feature helps viewers dive deep into Netflix’s catalog while circumventing Gemini and other assistants.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
I don't know what happened, but Google's implementation of Gemini on its smart displays seems to be getting worse, not better. Asking it to "tell me the news" now often requires two attempts, The first one just stalls out.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Today in Lowpass: After working on the Vision Pro, this AR veteran is going back to phones www.lowpass.cc/p/visio-pro-...
lowpass.cc
A Vision Pro veteran on why phones are better for AR
Pixi CEO Mark Drummond thinks headsets are not worth the hassle for AR developers.
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Reposted by Janko Roettgers
Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
Beehiiv, the platform my Lowpass newsletter runs on, keeps launching new things. The latest: You can now try the paid Lowpass tier for three months for the unbelievably low price of $5. Not per month, but once. Redeem it now before I change my mind: www.lowpass.cc/upgrade?offe...
lowpass.cc
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
Beehiiv, the platform my Lowpass newsletter runs on, keeps launching new things. The latest: You can now try the paid Lowpass tier for three months for the unbelievably low price of $5. Not per month, but once. Redeem it now before I change my mind: www.lowpass.cc/upgrade?offe...
lowpass.cc
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Reposted by Janko Roettgers
Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Today in Lowpass: An MP3 player revival, 25 years after the launch of the original iPod www.lowpass.cc/p/ipod-anniv...
lowpass.cc
25 years later, is it time for a new iPod?
Amid smartphone and subscription fatigue, M3 player makers like Sleevenote smell an opportunity.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Also on Lowpass today: The TV OS wars continue www.lowpass.cc/p/tv-os-fore...
lowpass.cc
The TV OS wars continue
Four TV OS makers will have more than 10 percent market share by 2030, according to a new Omdia forecast.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
Today in Lowpass: An MP3 player revival, 25 years after the launch of the original iPod www.lowpass.cc/p/ipod-anniv...
lowpass.cc
25 years later, is it time for a new iPod?
Amid smartphone and subscription fatigue, M3 player makers like Sleevenote smell an opportunity.
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Reposted by Janko Roettgers
Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Lowpass turns three this week! I'm celebrating with a new website, and the first-ever Lowpass report: The K-Flix Effect is a deep dive on Netflix's big bet on Korean dramas Download it for free here: www.lowpass.cc/k-flix-netfl...
lowpass.cc
Netflix's big bet on K-dramas by the numbers | Lowpass
It's not just Squid Game: Get this free report on Netflix's investments into Korean movies and TV shows.
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Janko Roettgers @jank0.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Lowpass turns three this week! I'm celebrating with a new website, and the first-ever Lowpass report: The K-Flix Effect is a deep dive on Netflix's big bet on Korean dramas Download it for free here: www.lowpass.cc/k-flix-netfl...
lowpass.cc
Netflix's big bet on K-dramas by the numbers | Lowpass
It's not just Squid Game: Get this free report on Netflix's investments into Korean movies and TV shows.
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