Roku TV claims smart TV OS top spot
January 11, 2021
Streaming specialist Roku has announced that Roku OS was the No. 1 smart TV OS sold in the US and Canada, according to NPD’s Weekly Retail Tracking Service.
Roku TV held 38 per cent of market share in the US and 31 per cent in Canada, based on available data from January 5th through December 26th, 2020, maintaining the lead spot in both regions. In North America, millions of Roku TV models were sold across thousands of retail stores offering consumers hundreds of models to choose from in a range of sizes and picture quality options – from 24-inch HD to 75-inch 4K HDR models.
Expanding the Roku TV Ready ecosystem further, Roku has unveiled a new wireless reference design for consumer electronics brands. This new wireless soundbar reference design uses Roku’s proprietary audio technology to connect seamlessly with any Roku TV model wirelessly, offering audio and video synchronisation, making it even easier for Roku TV customers to add great audio to their TV experience. It will also ensure simple set-up without the clutter of cords and easy operation with one Roku TV remote.
The new reference design will enable consumer electronic companies to build and sell wireless soundbars under their own brand. TCL is expected to launch the first wireless soundbar and will announce device specifics at their CES 2021 event on January 12th.
“We are proud to power the smart TVs that are most frequently purchased in the United States and Canada. Every day we work to ensure our customers have the best TV experience and that means – ease of use, choice, endless entertainment and great value,” said Mustafa Ozgen, senior vice president of Account Acquisition at Roku. “Additionally, with the introduction of our new wireless soundbar reference design, we are continuing to expand our home entertainment eco-system to ensure consumers can pair any Roku TV with great sound.”
In the United States, Element will launch a 2.0 Roku TV Ready Soundbar and 2.1 Roku TV Ready + Subwoofer later in 2021. Element joins TCL, Hisense, Enclave, Sound United & Bose who all released Roku TV Ready certified audio products in the US in 2020. Roku aims to expand the availability of Roku TV Ready programme internationally and will announce partners and products by country at a later stage.
Roku TV models are available from more than 15 TV OEM brands and today can be found in the US, Canada, UK, Mexico and Brazil.