For CES 2023, the year starts under the sign of connected televisions, of which Roku promises to put its own on sale this year.
Compared to giants like Apple, Amazon, or Google, the humble Roku company does quite well in the streaming player niche. And with the help of TV makers (Hisense, Rca, TCL, Sharp, etc.) looking to ride the wave of internet-connected devices, Roku can boast of seeing its Roku OS system installed in one in three TVs in the US. United States.
There will be two ranges of devices. One will be called Roku Select, and the higher-end models will be dubbed Roku Plus TVs. And Roku doesn’t skimp on screen sizes. “Available in 11 models ranging from 24-inch to 75-inch, the new Roku Select and Plus Series TVs will focus on features that small-screen enthusiasts have come to love,” the company said in a press release. Roku is also aggressive on pricing; the entry-level 24-inch model will cost US$119, and the 75-inch TV will cost US$999.
Commercially, Roku had to respond to competition from Amazon, which began selling its new Fire TV Omni televisions in 2021, in addition to having a formidable machine that is the megastores that everyone knows and uses.
Lower-end Roku Select models will come with the standard Roku voice remote, and the Plus series will include the Pro voice remote, capable of hands-free voice commands and featuring a rechargeable battery.
We don’t yet know the technical characteristics of the new Roku televisions, but we can safely say that the manufacturer will rely on simple software, an ecosystem of wireless speakers and sound bars, etc. to make these TVs an attractive option.
Roku says it won’t manufacture the new TVs directly, but will have them co-assembled by a partner company.
Roku TVs will ship starting in the spring.
ROKU stock is gaining between 5-6% at the time of this writing.
