Competing directly against Amazon and Apple for streaming set-top box dominance in the living room, there are multiple signs pointing to a fall 2015 revision of the Roku set-top box line along with a new model called the Roku 4 added into the mix. A barrage of filings went through the FCC today, an indication that revisions to existing hardware will roll out for the holiday shopping season.
Regarding the Roku 4, streaming company CinemaNow accidentally pushed a customer service page (cached here) live this week detailing a promotion that offered four free high definition movie rentals with the purchase of the Roku 4. This promotion is specific to “participating warehouse club retailers” that are selling the Roku 4. The promotion is scheduled to start on October 1, 2015 and run through April 30, 2016.
If this promotion is accurate, Roku will likely announce the Roku 4 within the next week, specifically on or before Thursday, October 1. While Apple and Amazon make consumers preorder revisions of set-top boxes, Roku has taken a different approach with previous releases. New hardware is usually available on the same day of the announcement or very close to it. It’s likely the Roku 4 and other hardware revisions will appear on Roku’s retail site first, then be distributed to retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.
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With Amazon announcing Ultra HD support on the new Fire TV, 4K streaming on one or more of the new Roku boxes is a definite possibility. Interestingly, a 4K showcase channel was spotted by Roku enthusiast site UK Roku Channels, but that page was quickly removed from the channel store after being publicized on Twitter. In addition, we already know that Roku has been working on support for 4K Ultra HD streaming on future Roku TV models; an announcement that was made at CES 2015.
As a company, Roku has always been aggressive about upgrading set-top box hardware. Creating a set-top box that’s 4K capable would keep Roku competitive with Amazon and retain a strategic edge over Apple. There’s also a significant volume of UHD streaming content being published by companies like Amazon and Netflix, much greater than a year ago. Just today, Amazon announced six new shows that will be filmed and eventually streamed in Ultra HD resolution. Netflix is doing the same with original programming as well as popular shows like Breaking Bad.
In addition, the consumer electronics industry is at more of a tipping point with Ultra HD hardware this holiday season. HDMI and HDCP requirements have been finalized for all new Ultra HD devices, including the Ultra HD Blu-ray players that are rumored to hit retailers prior to Christmas or by early 2016 at the latest. In addition, studios are prepping to release films on Ultra HD Blu-ray when the players are released.
It’s also likely that prices on Ultra HD televisions will hit all time lows during November, specifically during Black Friday weekend. LG, Panasonic and Samsung are predicting that Ultra HD television sales will quadruple in the United States this year, according to Twice. If that holds true, any company that releases a player capable of streaming 4K content will be in a great position to take advantage of new UHD television owners this holiday season.
Here's the thing about streaming devices. They don't change a whole lot. They do what they're meant to do — stream video, and maybe some other stuff — but the underlying tech doesn't change much. And that's because the way we stream video hasn't really changed, either. So the differences are more on the edges. That doesn't mean we haven't seen improvements, however. And while our list of the best streaming devices hasn't changed overall, there definitely are some differences to note this year.
Want to see the rest? Check out our full list of the most innovative tech products of 2022!
Winner: Apple TV 4K (2022)
Get the most out of your Apple TV 4K (2022) with these tips and tricks
Apple TV 4K is one of the best streaming devices you can buy. It's so capable that we're willing to bet it can do things you never knew it could. While Apple makes it very easy to pull Apple TV 4K out of the box and get right to streaming movies and TV shows, it is capable of so much more — and not just for Apple users. Though, let’s be frank, there are several features available only to those who own other Apple devices.
Trust me when we say that just a little bit of time invested in learning about this stuff pays off big as you use your Apple TV day after day. By the time we’re done, you will be an Apple TV power user.
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The least interesting things about the new Apple TV 4K
It's a big deal whenever Apple announces new products. OK, maybe not in the global scheme of things, but in our little world here, every sentence of every word of every press release is going to be scrutinized. Things that aren't a big deal are going to be turned into headlines. Blog. Blog. Blog.
And that's true again in the case of the latest Apple TV 4K, which will be available for everyone starting November 4. It is, for all intents and purposes, the same as the old one. It's better, sure. It's a little less expensive, which is great. It's almost certainly still the best streaming device you can buy. But the features that are getting the headlines? That's folks reaching for something to celebrate.
