Skip to main content

Roku named No. 1 Smart TV in 2021, expands to Sharp TVs

Roku has announced its second year of smart TV supremacy as the most sold built-in TV interface in the U.S., according to NPD’s Weekly Retail Tracking Service. With its first smart TVs released in 2008, Roku has been steadily growing in popularity with its stand-alone streaming devices as well as its built-in Roku OS on popular smart TVs from numerous partners worldwide. Major competitors Google TV (previously Android TV), Amazon Fire TV, and manufacturers’ own operating systems like LG’s webOS, and Samsung’s Tizen-based system continue to grow, but Roku’s ease of use and simplicity help it stand out to consumers.

Related article: The best Roku TV you can buy

Roku Remote.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Roku also has announced a partnership with Sharp to bring Sharp Roku TV to the market in 2022. Sharp has been a key player in household technology for decades, and its new lineup will offer features similar to other Roku TVs such as a customizable home screen, thousands of streaming channels, live TV, and compatibility with various smart home voice ecosystems. More information will be revealed in the coming months.

Recommended Videos

As mentioned in the Roku press release, “Sharp, like Roku, is an award-winning, household known brand and we look forward to a productive partnership together in the U.S.,” says Mustafa Ozgen, Roku’s general manager and senior vice president of Account Acquisitions. “We both firmly believe that the power and ease of use of Roku TV, combined with the Sharp brand promise of ‘simply better living’ makes an appealing combination for customers looking for a great TV experience.”

Please enable Javascript to view this content

In addition, Roku has signed a licensing agreement in Mexico to expand to 10 total brands, including Aiwa and HKPro. These devices will be on the market in early 2022 as well.

Roku continues to offer high quality and affordable options in the Smart TV market with a wide variety of brand partnerships and an ongoing new line of products for 2022.

Neil Jansen
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Neil Jansen is a writer, musician, and A/V specialist based in Kalamazoo, MI. He has been a performer and lover of technology…
Samsung prices its entry-level S85D OLED TV starting at $1,700
Samsung S85D 4K OLED TV.

In January, Samsung teased that it would be adding a new line of OLED TVs priced below the S95D and S90D. That new model is the S85D and we now know that it will come in 55-, 65-, and 77-inch sizes, with prices starting at $1,700. This puts Samsung and LG on an even playing field in terms of OLED pricing, at least as it relates to LG's OLED C4 lineup.

Samsung has also confirmed new sizes for its S90D OLED TV, which will now be available in tiny (42-inch) and huge (83-inch) versions in addition to the previously announced 48-, 55-, 65-, and 77-inch models.

Read more
You Asked: QLED and mini-LED burn-in, missing HDR, and Apple TV and HDMI 2.1
You Asked Ep 32 Feature

Can QLED and mini-LED TVs get burn-in? How can you solve the problem of not getting HDR from the YouTube app on Apple TV 4K? Speaking of Apple TV 4K, does it benefit from HDMI 2.1? And is using a computer monitor instead of a smart TV a good way to avoid privacy issues?

Can LED/LCD TVs Get Burn-In & More | You Asked Ep. 32
Apple TV and HDMI 2.1

Read more
What is Google TV? Here’s everything you need to know
The Google TV home screen on a Hisense UX.

Google TV is one of the best streaming platforms out there, running on everything from smart TVs to the best streaming devices, and Google TV Streamer. This web-connected OS is built to make streaming content easier than ever, letting you access all of the most popular streaming services from one hub.

Google TV isn't just for streaming though. You can use it to cast content from your phone, play games, control smart home devices in the Google ecosystem with Google Assistant, and even keep tabs on your viewing history to suggest new programs on the home page. There's plenty here to fall in love with, so let's take a look.

Read more