A proposed class action lawsuit accuses Roku and TCL of releasing faulty software updates that rendered televisions inoperable. Plaintiff Terri Else claims her TCL Roku TVs stopped working after updates, with the companies failing to fix the issues. Roku dismissed the claims as meritless.
Terri Else filed the proposed class action in the US District Court for the Central District of California, alleging that Roku and TCL's software updates introduced repetitive defects impairing Roku OS functionality. The suit targets Roku Select Series, Roku Plus Series, and TCL 3, 4, 5, and 6-Series models. It claims the companies failed to test updates properly or address bugs, leaving TVs 'bricked.' The class would include US purchasers of these Roku TV products manufactured after December 16, 2024. Else bought a TCL Roku TV in 2018 from a major retailer. A few years later, it began flashing a white light, turning black, and refusing to display images. By January 2023, it stopped working entirely, and TCL denied warranty coverage for the software defects. Her replacement TV also failed within a year, showing only a black screen despite functioning audio. Roku's spokesperson stated to CNET, 'We believe the claims are meritless.' A TCL representative did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The complaint cites company FAQs, Roku Community forums, Reddit, and X posts showing widespread similar issues and failed troubleshooting.
