Roku Has Entered the Chat

Roku will now make its own TVs.
Roku

Roku is stepping up from streaming sticks and audio bars to making its own TVs. At CES 2023 the streaming device manufacturer introduced two new lines: the Roku Select and Roku Plus.

The new lines will consist of 11 models in total, ranging in size from 24 to 75 inches, and will include up to 4K resolutions. The HD-based Roku Select series will come equipped with Roku Voice Remotes, while the step-up Roku Plus units will ship with the $30 Voice Remote Pro. 

Roku’s first foray into TV manufacturing comes on the heels of successful partnerships with more established TV suppliers such as TCL, Hisense and Sharp. 

“These Roku-branded TVs will not only complement the current lineup of partner-branded Roku TV models, but also allow us to enable future smart TV innovations,” Mustafa Ozgen, the president of Devices at Roku, said in a press release. 

Although it’s talking about the future, there’s no indication that Roku is looking to push the technological envelope with its own TVs just yet. The company will initially be competing with its own partners, in fact, for a segment of the budget market. Roku has released only limited information so little is known about the differences between Roku-made TVs and Roku-branded ones.  

Roku has so far relied on partners to innovate in terms of picture quality. The TCL 6-Series Roku TV, for example, uses the latest in mini-LED technology and comes with full-array local dimming and a reasonable price. But the company also announced a reference design for a Roku OLED TV in the hopes that one of its manufacturing partners will take up the task. 

Amazon recently launched its own TV lineup in addition to maintaining partnerships with brands such as Toshiba and Pioneer. The Fire TV Omni and 4 Series were sold exclusively at Amazon and Best Buy, while Fire TVs from their partners were sold in other outlets. 

The Roku TV lineup will range between $119 and $999, and while Roku has yet to announce specific pricing, it says that the TVs will be available in the spring.