Roku Unveils Whole Home Entertainment Licensing Program to Enable OEM Brands to Build Audio Devices for Roku TV & the Roku Ec...
January 03 2018 - 9:00AM
Business Wire
TCL to Announce Plans for First New Device At
CES
Roku, Inc. (Nasdaq: ROKU) today unveiled plans to make it easier
for consumers to enjoy streaming entertainment around the whole
home. Roku plans to make it especially easy for Roku TV™ customers
to add great audio to their TV experience. The new whole home
entertainment licensing program will enable OEM brands to build
soundbars and smart speakers, surround sound and multi-room audio
systems that use Roku Connect software to work together as a home
entertainment network. With Roku Connect devices working together
they will be able to connect wirelessly and be controlled by voice
commands and a single remote. In addition, OEM brands will be able
to license smart soundbar and smart speaker hardware reference
designs along with the Roku operating system, Roku OS. TCL is our
lead OEM partner and will announce its plans to offer the first
device under the new program at its press conference at CES on Jan.
8.
Roku also announced plans to develop and launch a voice
assistant, the Roku Entertainment Assistant, that is optimized for
home entertainment. It, along with Roku Connect, is expected to be
rolled out as a free software update to the Roku® operating system
by this Fall to most Roku TV models and Roku players. When
launched, the Roku Entertainment Assistant will enable consumers to
use voice commands to enjoy entertainment on voice-supported Roku
devices. For example, customers will be able to say, “Hey Roku,
play jazz in the living room” and a smart soundbar with Roku
Connect will begin playing music – even if the TV is turned
off.
“We’ve always focused on making it incredibly simple for
consumers to find and enjoy streaming entertainment on their TVs,
and with an expanded Roku ecosystem, consumers will be able to add
great sound to their TVs and audio around the whole home in a
modern way,” said Roku CEO Anthony Wood. “Consumers will love the
benefits of a home entertainment network, such as having more
affordable options, adding one device at a time, using their voice,
having a simplified set up and Wi-Fi connectivity, and holding just
one remote control. And, of course, OEM brands benefit by offering
their products in a more appealing way to our already large and
engaged audience of millions of active accounts.”
A New Era of Home Entertainment
Four years ago, Roku unveiled its TV licensing program,
simplifying the smart TV and making it easy for OEM brands to
delight consumers. Today, the Roku TV licensing program is
flourishing. Roku TVs accounted for more than one out of every five
smart TVs sold in the U.S. during the first nine months of 2017.
Roku also today announced that Magnavox joins the program as the
ninth brand – bringing new Roku TVs to market this Spring.
Roku believes that the home theater market is ready for a modern
approach encompassing the whole home. By expanding its licensing
program to allow for easy ways for audio devices to become part of
the Roku streaming ecosystem, OEM brands can build smart devices
for home entertainment. This is expected to make Roku TV even more
appealing to both OEM brands and consumers, and allow Roku to
continue to grow active accounts and increase engagement. Roku
monetizes active accounts as users engage with content and
advertising on its platform.
OEM brands can choose from:
- Roku TV – A smart TV powered by the
Roku OS. To be updated with Roku Connect and Roku Entertainment
Assistant by this Fall.
- Smart Soundbar – Enhances the TV audio
experience. Designed to work with any TV that has a HDMI ARC, and
expected to have features to allow it to work better with a Roku
TV. To be powered by the Roku OS and include Roku Connect and Roku
Entertainment Assistant.
- Smart Speaker – Stand-alone speaker or
extends audio from another device for a multi-room experience. To
be powered by the Roku OS and include Roku Connect and Roku
Entertainment Assistant.
- Roku Connect – Enables OEM brands to
build home entertainment devices that connect wirelessly to Roku OS
powered devices and other Roku Connect devices within a home
entertainment network. Roku Connect devices will be identified by a
Roku Connect logo.
OEM brands can license the Roku Connect software (which has a
hardware requirement) for free. In addition, Roku does not expect
licensing revenues, if any, from smart speakers and smart soundbars
to be material in the foreseeable future.
OEMs interested in learning more or meeting at CES can contact
OEM@roku.com.
About Roku, Inc.
Roku pioneered streaming to the TV. We connect users to the
streaming content they love, enable content publishers to build and
monetize large audiences, and provide advertisers with unique
capabilities to engage consumers. Roku streaming players and Roku
TV models are available around the world through direct retail
sales and licensing arrangements with TV OEMs and service
operators. Roku is headquartered in Los Gatos, Calif. U.S.A.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Roku Forward-Looking
Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements that
are based on our beliefs and assumptions and on information
currently available to us. Forward-looking statements include all
statements that are not historical facts and can be identified by
terms such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “could,” “seek,” “estimate,”
“intend,” “may,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,”
“should,” “will,” “would” or similar expressions and the negatives
of those terms.
Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results,
performance or achievements to be materially different from any
future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by
the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements
represent our beliefs and assumptions only as of the date of this
press release. These statements include, but are not limited to
predictions on the timing and availability of enhancements to our
operating system, the successful implementation of our licensing
program, the acceptance of the products, features and licensing
programs contemplated by this press release, our partners ability
to develop products that achieve market acceptance on a timely
basis, and our ability to grow active accounts and increase
engagement. Except as required by law, we assume no obligation to
update these forward-looking statements publicly, or to update the
reasons actual results could differ materially from those
anticipated in the forward-looking statements, even if new
information becomes available in the future. Important factors such
as the effect of product offerings from competitors, as well as
other factors that could cause our actual results to differ
materially are detailed from time to time in the reports Roku files
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, including our
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2017. Copies of
reports filed with the SEC are posted on Roku’s website and are
available from Roku without charge.
Roku and Roku TV are registered trademarks of Roku, Inc. in the
U.S. and in other countries.
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Roku, Inc.PressTricia Arana Mifsudtmifsud@roku.comorIRJames
Samfordir@roku.com
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