The Future of WP Smart TV: Adapting to New Tech and Trends

A message to our valued customers and prospects

The digital landscape is changing rapidly, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that WordPress is gradually being overshadowed by a new generation of online tools catering to small businesses. Solutions like Webflow, Squarespace, and Elementor’s hosted platform have popularized the “No Code” approach, allowing users to design and deploy websites using a graphical interface without paying for servers, WordPress plugins, or themes.

Recent events, such as the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, where Roku held an estimated $500 million, and the Roku Channel partner program beta, have raised concerns about the future of Roku’s Direct Publisher offering. This is especially troubling, considering the lack of support for Direct Publisher and the absence of promised features like PPV and subscription options.

So, where does this leave WP Smart TV?

Our company has been grappling with this question for months. Although WP Smart TV has never been a significant revenue generator, its dedicated fan base has inspired us to keep it alive as long as possible. Our primary revenue comes from managing online platforms and developing solutions for other businesses, so we have focused on those areas since 2020 to ensure Rovidx’s profitability.

Now that we feel comfortable with Rovidx’s core business, we’re ready to pivot our plugin business and adapt it to new technology trends, such as cloud services, web3 concepts, and AI-driven tools. The first order of business is to make crucial decisions regarding WP Smart TV.

Over a dozen channels still rely on WP Smart TV to power their content, so we don’t want to remove it entirely. However, we can no longer allocate resources to features like the shopping cart and licensing system due to short sales.

Starting next week, we will discontinue new sales of the add-ons. Current customers will retain their licenses and continue to receive security and bug fixes. We will also offer limited tech support, although most support requests are related to Roku Direct Publisher issues, which are beyond our control.

On June 1, 2023, we will change the add-on licenses to be GNU2 and release the codebase on GitHub for public use. This will enable the community to manage and update the codebase as needed, and we will also contribute to updating the code when necessary. After this point, if you continue to pay the licensing fee, we will still offer tech support. However, if you choose to use the free code, you will be responsible for diagnosing any issues.

As for the future, we are currently exploring new opportunities in podcasting tools. While we’re not ready to announce specific details, we’re excited about the potential of this new direction.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to adapt and innovate in this ever-evolving digital landscape. Thank you for your ongoing support and understanding as we navigate these changes together. We remain committed to providing value to our customers and the broader community.

In the coming months, we will share more information about our new podcasting tools and other exciting projects that align with the latest technology trends. We believe that embracing change and adapting our business model will allow us to stay relevant and continue to serve you effectively.

We encourage you to follow our blog and social media channels to stay updated on our latest developments and offerings. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we welcome your thoughts and ideas as we forge ahead into the next chapter of our journey.

Again, thank you for participating in the WP Smart TV community. We look forward to growing and evolving with you in this dynamic digital world.

Keep an eye out for future updates and announcements, and here’s to embracing the future together!