Roku TVs and streaming sticks might not be able to stream Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision content soon, because Dolby the company is suing Roku, alleging that it has misused its technology and violated legal agreements.
The lawsuit, which was filed on August 1, only came to light yesterday when it was reported on by Reuters.
The report explains that Dolby signed a licensing agreement with Roku regarding its technologies back in 2015. According to that contract, Roky was only ever allowed to use Dolby’s software to test for interoperability with its systems. Under that agreement, Roku was allowed to distribute Dolby’s software “under certain conditions” only, Reuters said.
However, Dolby alleges that Roku “secretly incorporated” its intellectual property into the Roku OS software between 2016 and 2020, and lied to Dolby about how it was using it. It also refused to allow Dolby to conduct an audit, the lawsuit claims.
Dolby is now seeking an injunction that would block Roku from using its technology in Roku OS, as well as monetary damages.
The report did not mention the specific Dolby technologies that Roku has allegedly misused, but the timeline would suggest it might be Dolby Vision HDR and/or Dolby Atmos audio.
If Roku were to be blocked from providing Dolby Vision HDR or Dolby Atmos surround sound, it would likely be a huge blow to the company, for HDR content and immersive, atmospheric sound are key to enhancing viewer’s experiences. The lack of these capabilities could result in consumers opting for rival devices, such as Google TV or Apple TV, instead.
Reuters added that there’s no indication that Dolby intends to sever its relationship with Roku just yet, so there is a chance that the two companies might reach some kind of deal before the matter is settled in court.
Nevertheless, it’s an embarrassing development for Roku, which comes after recent reports that it was effectively bricking users’ devices unless they agreed to controversial new terms and conditions that prohibit consumers from suing it or participating in other legal actions against it.
