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Roku adds universal search for mobile devices, discloses its users’ top searches

Alex Tretbar
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roku reveals top overall searches actor results
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Roku today revealed details on what people search for the most via the universal  search function on its set-top boxes. The disclosure is part of Roku’s rollout — beginning today — of a software update for Roku 3 players that will allow customers to use Roku Search via the Roku mobile app for Android and iOS mobile devices. The search function will come available for additional models within the next few weeks.

Roku’s search function, which has been beefed up over time since the feature’s 2012 debut, now polls the more than 1,500 channels available through the Roku Channel Store. Currently, the function sifts through the many channels, searching for movie, TV show, actor or director entries, allowing the user to make the best channel choice in terms of availability, convenience and affordability. Today’s blog post uses Daniel Craig as an example. Simply type “Da” into the search bar with the actor field selected, and Daniel Craig will pop up among any other actors matching the criteria. Select Craig and his filmography appears, with each movie within paired with channel availability and associated pricing.

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With all of these channels and users searching for content, Roku is naturally able to see what we look for most. The company took a close look at aggregated on-device search results from the last few months and tallied up its users’ favorites. Category-wise, television series dominated the top 25 searched titles. Roku then looked at the popularity of individual movies, shows and people. Here’s what they came up with:

Top Searched TV Series:

  1. Downton Abbey
  2. Breaking Bad
  3. SpongeBob SquarePants
  4. The Walking Dead
  5. The Big Bang Theory

Top Searched Movies:

  1. Pitch Perfect
  2. Despicable Me
  3. Despicable Me 2
  4. Silver Linings Playbook
  5. Star Trek Into Darkness

Top Searched People:

  1. John Wayne
  2. Clint Eastwood
  3. Sandra Bullock
  4. Jason Statham
  5. Tom Selleck

Roku 3 players will automatically receive the aforementioned software update, which is expected to be completed by April 22.

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Alex Tretbar
Alex Tretbar
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Alex Tretbar, audio/video intern, is a writer, editor, musician, gamer and sci-fi nerd raised on EverQuest and Magic: The…
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