Roku débuts new family of players
September 25, 2013
By Colin Mann
Buoyed by raising $60 million in new funding from Hearst Corporation, News Corp and Sky as well as institutional investor Fidelity in May 2013, streaming platform Roku has unveiled an all-new family of streaming players.
Designed to provide a better TV experience for every streaming fan, the new Roku LT, Roku 1 and Roku 2 players give consumers more useful features – whether it’s the ability to turn up a late-night flick without waking the kids or search quickly for the latest movie – that let them focus on enjoying their entertainment. These new player models will be available in all markets in which Roku is available – the US, Canada, the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Additionally, the flagship Roku 3 player which launched in the US. in March is now also available in Canada, the UK. and the Republic of Ireland.
“These new players bring useful improvements at existing prices – just in time for the holidays,” said Jim Funk, SVP of product management, Roku. “We’re giving customers more value for their money by adding a headphone jack for private listening and dual-band wireless to the Roku 2, and support for 1080p HD video to the Roku 1. We are excited to bring these and other great features to our new line-up which provides a better TV experience across every price point.”
The new Roku LT, Roku 1 and Roku 2 players along with the Roku 3 provide access to the Roku Channel Store which features a broad selection of streaming entertainment – currently at more than 1,000 channels in the USand at more than 450 channels each in Canada, the UK, and the Republic of Ireland.
All new Roku players feature an updated design. In addition:
- The new Roku LT is the easiest and most affordable way to stream to virtually any TV with support for up to 720p HD video quality.
- The Roku 1 takes streaming a step further than the Roku LT with support for up to 1080p HD video quality.
- The Roku 2 offers the same user experience as the Roku 1 and features a remote with built-in headphone jack for private listening and dual-band wireless for better Internet connectivity. Both are popular features that were previously available only with the Roku 3.
- Leading the family is the flagship Roku 3 which launched in the US in March. The fastest-and-most-powerful Roku player to date, Roku 3 has all the features of the Roku 2 plus Ethernet and USB ports and an enhanced remote with built-in headphone jack and motion-control for gaming.
For even more entertainment options, Roku’s free apps for iOS and Android devices transform a phone or tablet into what the company describes as the ultimate Roku command centre. In addition, the Play on Roku feature lets consumers stream their personal music, video and photos to a Roku player.
In the US, the new Roku LT (model 2700), Roku 1 and Roku 2 players are available for pre-order now for suggested retail prices of $49.99, $59.99 and $79.99, respectively at Roku.com and will be available in retail stores beginning in October.
In Canada, the Roku 3 is available now for a suggested retail price of CAD $109.99 at Roku.ca and in retail stores. The Roku 1 and Roku 2 players are available for pre-order now for suggested retail prices of CAD $69.99 and CAD $89.99 respectively at Roku.ca and will be available in retail stores beginning in October.
In the UK and the Republic of Ireland, the Roku 3 is available now for a suggested retail price of £99.99 at Roku.co.uk and in retail stores. The Roku 1 and Roku 2 players are available for pre-order now for suggested retail prices of £59.99 and £79.99 respectively at Roku.co.uk and will be available in retail stores beginning in October.
The Roku Channel Store in the UK features a broad selection of streaming entertainment including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Demand 5, Sky News, Sky Sports on NOW TV and casual games such as Angry Birds.