Roku Ramps Effort to Pilfer Pay-TV Subs; Latest OS Has On-Screen Guide
In a product refresh for the fast-approaching holiday season, Roku added an entry-level sound bar, The Streambar ($129, Oct. 15), available for preorder Monday, keeping the larger 2019 Smart Sound Bar in the lineup at $179. Streambar can be controlled by voice through users’ Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant devices. Later this year, it's expected to add Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit capability, which will be available for select 4K Roku products, said the company. With HomeKit, users will be able to control their Roku TV, sound bar or player using the Home app and Siri, it said.
Roku began preorders for the new Ultra ($99, Oct. 18), its flagship streaming media player, with 50% more range, a lost remote finder and Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision decoding. It has headphones consumers can plug into a jack on the remote control to increase volume without disturbing the household, said the company.
Roku is making a strong play as a cable alternative, including through its Live TV Channel, a tile available on the user interface that steers viewers to free linear content. More than 115 free live, linear channel partners will be available this week. A section on the website tells customers how to get free local channels via an HD antenna, with tabs that take them to Amazon or Walmart for shopping. Roku’s OS 9.4, due to begin rolling out this month, adds integration features. A combined program guide has streaming channels and over-the-air broadcast channels; customers with antennas see local and streamed content in the same guide or can hide the streaming channels. It also brings hints for voice commands customers can use on their device, along with surround level control for multichannel audio when optional rear speakers are attached, said the company.
The website asks “Tired of paying too much for cable?” and gives viewers ways they can reduce “or completely cut your cable bill” by replacing a cable box with a Roku player. They save on equipment fees that way, Roku says, or they can go “all-in with streaming to maximize your savings while still enjoying your favorite TV" with an HD antenna.
A “How to cut the cord” section instructs cable customers how to cancel service, starting with “Be confident.” That includes being “firm but polite,” Roku says. They should “prepare for push-back” when pay-TV providers offer bundle deals or free premium channels. “When your service provider tempts you with retention offers, remember all the money you’ll save. If you take one of these deals, set a reminder for when it expires so you can try again before rates go up,” said the streaming platform provider.