Forum Discussion

jamesrh72's avatar
jamesrh72
Reel Rookie
2 years ago

Why does the Mobile App have to be connected to a device to watch a show?

My wife and I both have the Roku Mobile App on our phones. We have previously used them to watch our favorite shows when we were away from home. Recently when we try to watch anything while we are away from home it tells us that we have to connect to our device first. The device at home. We leave it at home because we have a Mobile App.

If we have to be at home or have our device with us, set up and working, to watch something then this app is now pretty much useless as "Mobile" anything. It used to work so the answer that keeps popping up "the Mobile App is not the same as the app on the device" is not helpful at all. It only means that Roku has changed the (supposedly) Mobile App for a senseless reason and they're refusing to tell us why.

I hope they realize how many people are upset about this change and I hope they reverse it very soon.

mobile app
  • makaiguy's avatar
    makaiguy
    Community Streaming Expert
    2 years ago

    The Roku app on your phone can only connect to a Roku on the same local network as the phone.

    When not on your home network you can connect via your web browser to therokuchannel.com, but it will not provide access to any premiums you may subscribe to through Roku that you normally access through The Roku Channel.

    • jamesrh72's avatar
      jamesrh72
      Reel Rookie
      2 years ago

      This reply misses the point of my question. 

      My question is, why does the Mobile App need to connect to a device at all in order to stream a show? It used to work on it's own as a streaming app. Now it doesn't. It's been changed. But they won't acknowledge it. Why?

      • Luddite73's avatar
        Luddite73
        Newbie
        10 months ago

        Yes, my Roku won't play on my phone anymore, just in my kitchen! So these answers about being away from home- it happens at home too! Apparently there is no where that one can play content on phone, after a few weeks having roku. So disappointing. Idk why it suddenly happened after weeks of having a much better product, not it's not that useful!