Netflix allows hardware makers to "self certify" equipment. Imagine Netflix having to test and certify every streaming box, every smart TV, every DVD/BD player, and so on out there - completely impractical. Plus, how much different can the 4K Joey be in comparison to the other Joey models that it works on ? Certainly not enough to be this much of a problem, one would have to think....
Not as I understand it. Netflix and all those big services that use apps on STB's are in FULL CONTROL and THEY decide "certification" and ever aspect of it and it is "they" who decide to update or NOT update or KILL an API and thereby BREAK the app on a connected device like WD, Dish, TiVo, etc. The OTT's do NOT allow any alterations to their code, even after the OTT service BREAKS an app on a connected device. The OTT writes, and in any other way alters the code, never the connected device makers. It is all about waiting on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, et al.
It is really about both the OTT service and the connected device maker to have communication and cooperation, but if it is not Android (Amazon Fire uses Andorid forked, but still Android) or iOS or Roku (having a huge share of the market and using its own OS that is likely to cause Roku's eventual demise), it ain't on the OTT's to do list, so to speak. Dish is NOT the only connected device/STB maker to be WAITING on Netflix. And Amazon, et al. is the SAME monkey business. TiVo has been in the very same position Dish is in now regarding Netflix. TiVo has had to "deal" with Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and a few more who just don't put a priority on such devices outside of iOS, Android or Roku because everyone else has such a small share of the market for their apps, and they don't need to be on TiVo or Dish. It is often the other way around.
There aren't that many connected devices out there that are of consequence--large enough share of the market--so, yes, contrary to your statement: "
Imagine Netflix having to test and certify every streaming box, every smart TV, every DVD/BD player, and so on out there - completely impractical." But that is EXACTLY what and how they do it. This is why it is so
inefficient at getting things to work or work as they should or provide additional features to each connected device maker in the market.
There can be tremendous differences among a TiVo, Dish, Roku or other connected device in regards to what OS the connected device uses (Java, Flash, Ubuntu, Haxe and more before we ever come to iOS, Android, and Roku who use its own OS) and the code that needs to be writtien for things to function as necessary and they way it should and adding features or upgrading to the newest UI can be a time consuming coders nightmare to address--and address per each connected device maker or OS.
This is one, although a few more, reason many connected devices NEVER seem to get updated when they should. Only the money makers of iOS, Android (includes Amazon Fire), and Roku get all the proper attention. In time, look for Roku to be put further down the list over time because app makers already have higher costs having to code for Roku when iOS and Android already cost enough in development. If Roku continues to use its own OS, it will get squeezed out over a few years. It is already happening, at a very small rate, but happening, nonetheless, mostly to the growing popularity of Fire TV.
