Roku to step further out of the box with first 4K Smart TVs this spring

By Parker Hall January 4, 2016

roku to step further out of the box will launch its first 4k smart tv this spring tcl 50fs3800 50 1080p led 480 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Roku is doing well in stepping out of the world of its streaming boxes. The industry-leading set-top company has announced that it has sold more than one million Roku-integrated smart TVs in the United States since entering the market in 2014, along with plans to introduce the first Roku-integrated 4K Ultra HD and high dynamic range (HDR) TVs to market in the spring of next year.

The first of the new 4K Ultra HD TVs will launch in partnership with Chinese hardware company TCL, which already sells Roku-powered HD TVs. Other Roku hardware partners, including Haier and Hisense, will release further 4K options as the year progresses.

Overall, the company will work with TV producers to create more than 60 new smart TV models in 2016, marking a significant further step into the box-free market for Roku.

But those who love Roku and still want to purchase another brand of TV in the next year have nothing to fear. The company will continue to produce its range of streaming players, with the Roku 4 offering streaming in 4K Ultra HD for those who are looking for the highest quality images.

Roku isn’t yet a big player in the smart TV world, with just an eight-percent market share in the United States, but by introducing more Roku-enabled smart TV models in more countries — the company plans to release TVs in both Canada and Mexico in 2016 — that market share should continue to grow.

In a world in which cord cutting is becoming the norm, it is important for set-top streaming companies to look to the future, and many TV buyers are already considering a new TV’s built-in streaming software just as much as its overall resolution. With the emergence of 4K HDR taking center in TV land at this year’s CES, pairing more smart TV integration with the industry’s latest technologies is a smart move for the company to make.

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Parker Hall is a writer and musician from Portland, OR. He is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Oberlin…

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