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Roku

Developer	Roku, Inc.
Type	Streaming television
Release date	May 20, 2008; 15 years ago (2008-05-20)
Operating system	Roku OS
Website	www.roku.com

Roku (/ˈroʊkuː/ ROH-koo) is a brand of smart TV operating systems, smart TVs, streaming devices, and smart home and audio products designed and marketed by Roku, Inc., headquartered in San Jose, California, United States. Roku's smart TV products primarily offer access to streaming media content, including streaming television, from online services.

One of Roku's early products was a digital media player developed in collaboration with Netflix and introduced in May 2008, and it has since released at least 10 generations of streaming players. Roku's products have historically been built around the idea of utilizing low-cost hardware interfaces for over-the-top (OTT) media consumption.^[1] Roku, Inc., also licenses its Roku OS operating system as middleware for smart TVs, and as of 2023 manufactures its own branded smart TVs, soundbars and smart home devices. The Roku OS targets streaming TVs or devices as its primary hardware, like Amazon's Fire OS, Samsung's Tizen OS, Google's Android TV OS, and Apple's tvOS.

By some estimates, as of 2022 the Roku OS is the leading streaming TV platform in the US in terms of market share.^[2] The Roku OS also holds a noticeable 30.5% share of the global TV streaming hours,^[3] whereas the Roku Channel Store has the largest collection of TV channels among all streaming TV platforms, hosting 38,941 channels as of 2023.^[4]

History

Roku was formed by Anthony Wood in 2002, who had previously founded ReplayTV, a DVR company that competed with TiVo.^[5] After ReplayTV's failure, Wood worked for a while at Netflix. In 2007, Wood's company began working with Netflix on Project:Griffin, a set-top box to allow Netflix users to stream Netflix content to their TVs.^[5] Only a few weeks before the project's launch, Netflix's founder Reed Hastings decided it would hamper license arrangements with third parties, potentially keeping Netflix off other similar platforms, and killed the project.^[6] Fast Company magazine cited the decision to kill the project as "one of Netflix's riskiest moves".^[6]

Netflix decided instead to spin off the company, and Roku released their first set-top box in 2008.^[7] In 2010 they began offering models with various capabilities, which eventually became their standard business model.^[7] In 2014, Roku partnered with smart TV manufacturers to produce TVs with built-in Roku functionality.^[5] In 2015, Roku won the inaugural Emmy for Television Enhancement Devices.

Roku streaming players

First generation

The first Roku model, the Roku DVP N1000, was unveiled on May 20, 2008. It was developed in partnership with Netflix to serve as a standalone set-top box for its recently introduced "Watch Instantly" service. The goal was to produce a device with a small footprint that could be sold at low cost compared to larger digital video recorders and video game consoles. It features an NXP PNX8935 video decoder supporting both standard and high definition formats up to 720p; HDMI output; and automatic software updates, including the addition of new channels for other video services.^[8][1][9]

Roku launched two new models in October 2009: the Roku SD (a simplified version of the DVP, with only analog AV outputs); and the Roku HD-XR, an updated version with 802.11n Wi-Fi and a USB port for future functionality. The Roku DVP was retroactively renamed the Roku HD. By then, Roku had added support for other services. The next month, they introduced the Channel Store, where users could download third-party apps for other content services (including the possibility of private services for specific uses).^[10][11]

Netflix support was initially dependent on a PC, requiring users to add content to their "Instant Queue" from the service's web interface before it could be accessed via the Roku. In May 2010, the channel was updated to allow users to search the Netflix library directly from the device.^[12]

In August 2010, Roku announced plans to add 1080p video support to the HD-XR.^[13] The next month, they released an updated lineup with thinner form factors: a new HD; the XD, with 1080p support; and the XDS, with optical audio, dual-band Wi-Fi, and a USB port. The XD and XDS also included an updated remote.^[14]

Support for the first-generation Roku models ended in September 2015.^[15]

Second generation

In July 2011, Roku unveiled its second generation of players, branded as Roku 2 HD, XD, and XS. All three models include 802.11n, and also add microSD slots and Bluetooth. The XD and XS support 1080p, and only the XS model includes an Ethernet connector and USB port. They also support the "Roku Game Remote"—a Bluetooth remote with motion controller support for games, which was bundled with the XS and sold separately for other models.^[16] The Roku LT was unveiled in October, as an entry-level model with no Bluetooth or microSD support.^[17]

In January 2012, Roku unveiled the Streaming Stick - a new model condensed into a dongle form factor using Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL).^[18][19] Later in October, Roku introduced a new search feature to the second-generation models, aggregating content from services usable on the device.^[20]

Third generation

Roku unveiled its third-generation models in March 2013, the Roku 3 and Roku 2. The Roku 3 contains an upgraded CPU over the 2 XS, and a Wi-Fi Direct remote with an integrated headphone jack. The Roku 2 features only the faster CPU.^[21][22] A software update in October 2014 added support for peer-to-peer Miracast wireless.^[23]

Fourth generation

In October 2015, Roku introduced the Roku 4; the device contains upgraded hardware with support for 4K resolution video, as well as 802.11ac wireless.^[24]

Fifth generation

In September 2016, Roku revamped their entire streaming player line-up with five new models (low end Roku Express, Roku Express+, high end Roku Premiere, Roku Premiere+, and top-of-the-line Roku Ultra), while the Streaming Stick (3600) was held over from the previous generation (having been released the previous April) as a sixth option.^[25] The Roku Premiere+ and Roku Ultra support HDR video using HDR10.^[26]

Sixth generation

In October 2017, Roku introduced its sixth generation of products. The Premiere and Premiere+ models were discontinued, the Streaming Stick+ (with an enhanced Wi-Fi antenna device) was introduced, as well as new processors for the Roku Streaming Stick, Roku Express, and Roku Express+.^[27]

Seventh generation

In September 2018, Roku introduced the seventh generation of products. Carrying over from the 2017 sixth-generation without any changes were the Express (3900), Express+ (3910), Streaming Stick (3800), and Streaming Stick+ (3810). The Ultra is the same hardware device from 2017, but it comes with JBL premium headphones and is repackaged with the new model number 4661. Roku has resurrected the Premiere and Premiere+ names, but these two new models bear little resemblance to the 2016 fifth-generation Premiere (4620) and Premiere+ (4630) models. The new Premiere (3920) and Premiere+ (3921) are essentially based on the Express (3900) model with 4K support added, it also includes Roku Streaming Stick+ Headphone Edition (3811) for improving Wifi signal strength and private listening.^[28]

Eighth generation

In September 2019, Roku introduced the eighth generation of products.^[29]

The same year, Netflix announced that it would stop supporting older generations of Roku, including the Roku HD, HD-XR, SD, XD, and XDS, as well as the NetGear-branded XD and XDS beginning on December 1, 2019. Roku had warned in 2015 that it would stop updating players made in May 2011 or earlier, and these vintage boxes were among them.^[30]

Ninth generation

On September 28, 2020, Roku introduced the ninth generation of products.^[31] An updated Roku Ultra was released along with the addition of the Roku Streambar, a 2-in-1 Roku and Soundbar device. The microSD slot was removed from the new Ultra 4800, making it the first top-tier Roku device since the first generation to lack this feature. On April 14, 2021, Roku announced the Roku Express 4K+, replacing the 8th generation Roku Express devices, the Voice Remote Pro as an optional upgrade for existing Roku players, and Roku OS 10 for all modern Roku devices.^[32]

Tenth generation

On September 20, 2021, Roku introduced the tenth generation of products.^[33] The Roku Streaming Stick 4K^[34] was announced along with the Roku Streaming Stick 4K+ which includes an upgraded rechargeable Roku Voice Remote Pro with lost remote finder.^[35] Roku announced an updated Roku Ultra LT with a faster processor, stronger Wi-Fi and Dolby Vision as well as Bluetooth audio streaming and built-in Ethernet support.^[36] Roku also announced Roku OS 10.5 with several new and improved features.^[37]

On November 15, 2021, Roku announced a budget model Roku LE (3930S3) to be sold at Walmart, while supplies last.^[38] It lacks 4K and HDR10 support, making its features similar to those of the 2019 Roku Express (3930). It has the same form factor as the 2019 Roku Express, except the plastic shell is white rather than black.

Feature comparison