Roku OS

Last updated
Roku OS
Roku OS.png
Home Screen of Roku OS.jpg
Screenshot of the Roku OS home screen
Developer Roku, Inc.
Written in C, BrightScript, SceneGraph
OS family Linux on embedded systems
Working stateCurrent
Released to
manufacturing 		2004
Latest release 13 / April 10, 2024;9 days ago (2024-04-10)
Marketing target Streaming television
Available in English, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese
Update method Over-the-air update
Package manager ropm [1]
Platforms ARM Cortex-A53, ARM Cortex-A55, ARM Cortex-A73, ARM Cortex A35, ARM quad core 1 GHz, ARM dual core 1.2 GHz [2] [3]
Kernel type Monolithic (Linux)
Default
user interface 		Graphical (Multi-touch)
License Proprietary
Official website www.roku.com/how-it-works/roku-os

The Roku OS is an operating system, by Roku Inc., which powers consumer electronics such as smart TVs and streaming devices. Based on Linux, it features a user interface linking into Roku's Channel Store. In 2022, the Roku OS reportedly had 70 million users, [4] and led the U.S. smart TV and streaming device sector. [5] [6]

Contents

The Roku OS serves as a video streaming platform that hosts both free and paid "channels". [7] [8] The operating system initially debuted on Roku's streaming devices in 2004, [9] and expanded support to smart TVs starting in 2016. It is also used in Roku-branded home entertainment devices, such as smart speakers, as of 2023. [8] [10]

History

2004–2014: development for digital media players

In January 2004, Roku's digital media player, called HD1000, was powered by the Roku OS. [9] The Roku OS was reportedly based on Linux with kernel version 2.4.18, and leveraged open-source software, including Samba, Busybox, jpeglib, and zlib. The Roku OS also accompanied a C/C++ based software development kit (SDK), for its media player, in order to provide a development environment supporting Windows, Mac, or Linux-based hosts. [9]

2015–2017: support for smart TVs

In October 2015, Roku announced the release of Roku OS 7. This release allowed television viewers using Roku’s streaming devices to "follow" actors, directors, as well as TV shows and films. [11] In June 2016, Roku OS 7.2 was launched which supported Roku's streaming devices as well as Roku-branded TVs. [12] In October 2017, Roku OS 8 was announced. It featured single sign-on for paid TV customers and integration of TV programming from over-the-air TV, among other updates. [13]

2018–2021: vulnerability reports, new features

In June 2018, WIRED wrote that Roku devices running Roku OS 8.0 or lower were found to be vulnerable to a web attack of type DNS rebinding. [14] The WIRED article also cited Roku as saying that it had created a software patch in response, and was rolling out the patch to its customers. [14]

April 2019 saw the release of Roku OS 9.1 adding "automatic account linking" (sparing users from re-entering login credentials previously entered on a Roku streaming device or TV), genre search, smarter voice control and other features. [15]

In April 2021, Roku announced the release of Roku OS 10, which featured "instant resume" for streaming channels, automatic configuration for gaming consoles, AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support to Roku HD streaming boxes and TVs etc. [16] In May 2021, Engadget reported on an "exploit" which took advantage of two vulnerabilities, in Roku OS versions lower than 10, to enable a "persistent root jailbreak" on Roku devices. The exploit gave users control over what channels they installed. Roku stated in response that it had mitigated the vulnerabilities by updating Roku OS 9.4. [17]

2022–present: further developments

In March 2022, Roku announced Roku OS 11, adding new audio options, custom photo screensavers etc. [18]

In March 2023, the Roku OS was reported to have 70 million active accounts [4] and to have led the US smart TV and streaming device sector in 2022. [5] [6] In October 2023, Roku announced Roku OS 12.5, which focused on sports, live TV, and easier content discovery. [19]

In April 2024, Roku OS 13 was released. The OS update was announced as becoming available for all Roku TV models and a variety of Roku streaming players. The update was reported as offering enhancements to content discovery, browsing and other features including auto-adjusted picture modes and personalized "backdrops". [20]

Features

The Roku OS is a Linux-based streaming platform which runs "free channels" and "subscription channels". The operating system powers Roku TVs, streaming devices and smart speakers. [7] [8] [10] According to Roku, the operating system is able to run on "low power chips" using small memory footprints. [21] The operating system has been suggested to be not as “flashy” or "eye-catching" as other similar systems, yet offering an easy access to streaming content. [16]

Roku Channel Store

The Roku OS includes the Roku Channel Store, featuring a collection of apps Roku calls "channels". [22] The operating system allows users to browse streaming channels available, displayed in a grid format. [8] [23] According to mobile app analytics company 42matters, there were over 26,000 apps available in the Roku Channel Store in 2023. [24] Examples of "free channels" available in the store are The Roku Channel, Amazon Freevee, Xumo, NBC, ABC, Tubi, CBS and Pluto TV, whereas the "subscription channels" include Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hayu, Paramount+, BET+, Curiosity Stream, Eros Now, AMC+, Acorn TV, Shudder, DAZN, Mubi, Discovery+, Crackle, Crunchyroll, SonyLIV, ZEE5, Hotstar, Disney+ and Hulu. [7] [8]

User features

The Roku OS offers content search, voice control, "private listening" (using bluetooth headphones), "continue watching", "screen mirroring" (to mirror a smartphone screen or a computer screen to TV), "guest mode", parental controls, and custom photo screensavers. [8] [25] [26] The operating system also includes "Roku City", a screensaver Roku utilizes for advertising. [27] [28]

Developer tools

According to Roku, the Roku OS integrates tools which allow the company's channel publishers and advertisers to measure the effectiveness of online video advertisements delivered by the company. [29] Roku OS 10.5 or higher supports an "independent developer kit" (IDK), built for Roku devices, which Roku says allows developers to create not only streaming channels but also other applications. [30] [31]

Compatibility

Consumer products running the Roku OS include:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Home theater PC</span> PC meant to be used in a home theater setting

A home theater PC (HTPC) or media center computer is a convergent device that combines some or all the capabilities of a personal computer with a software application that focuses on video, photo, audio playback, and sometimes video recording functionality. Since the mid-2000s, other types of consumer electronics, including game consoles and dedicated media devices, have crossed over to manage video and music content. The term "media center" also refers to specialized application software designed to run on standard personal computers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roku, Inc.</span> American technology company

Roku, Inc. is a U.S. public company founded by Anthony Wood in 2002. It runs a streaming TV service through its branded streaming devices and smart TVs, supporting both advertising and subscription models on its platform. Roku leads U.S. streaming TV distribution, and reports over 80 million users globally as of 2023. Beyond the U.S., the company serves markets in Canada, Australia, the U.K., France, Germany, and several Latin American countries including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru.

Now is a subscription over-the-top streaming television service operated by British satellite television provider Sky Group. Launched in the United Kingdom in 2012, the service is also available in Ireland, Italy, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ITVX</span> British online video-on-demand service

ITVX is a British ad-supported video-on-demand streaming service operated by ITV. The service offers original content from the broadcaster, as well as some exclusive and licensed programming.

webOS Linux kernel–based operating system developed by LG, previously Palm and HP

webOS, also known as LG webOS and previously known as Open webOS,HP webOS and Palm webOS, is a Linux kernel-based multitasking operating system for smart devices such as smart TVs that has also been used as a mobile operating system. Initially developed by Palm, Inc., HP made the platform open source, at which point it became Open webOS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Smart TV</span> TV set with integrated Internet features

A smart TV, also known as a connected TV (CTV), is a traditional television set with integrated Internet and interactive Web 2.0 features that allow users to stream music and videos, browse the internet, and view photos. Smart TVs are a technological convergence of computers, televisions, and digital media players. Besides the traditional functions of television sets provided through traditional broadcasting media, these devices can provide access to over-the-top media services such as streaming television and internet radio, along with home networking access.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AirPlay</span> Proprietary wireless streaming protocol developed by Apple Inc.

AirPlay is a proprietary wireless communication protocol stack/suite developed by Apple Inc. that allows streaming between devices of audio, video, device screens, and photos, together with related metadata. Originally implemented only in Apple's software and devices, it was called AirTunes and used for audio only. Apple has since licensed the AirPlay protocol stack as a third-party software component technology to manufacturers that build products compatible with Apple's devices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tizen</span> Linux-based mobile operating system

Tizen is a Linux-based mobile operating system backed by the Linux Foundation, developed and used primarily by Samsung Electronics.

Miracast is a wireless communications standard created by the Wi-Fi Alliance which is designed to transmit video and sound directly from devices to display receivers. It can roughly be described as "HDMI over Wi-Fi", replacing cables in favor of wireless. The protocol is utilised in many devices and is used or branded under various names by different manufacturers, including Smart View and AllShare Cast, SmartShare, screen mirroring, Cast, wireless display and screen casting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chromecast</span> Line of digital media players developed by Google

Chromecast is a line of digital media players developed by Google. The devices, designed as small dongles, can play Internet-streamed audio-visual content on a high-definition television or home audio system. The user can control playback with a mobile device or personal computer through mobile and web apps that can use the Google Cast protocol, or by issuing commands via Google Assistant; later models introduced an interactive user interface and remote control. Content can be mirrored to video models from the Google Chrome web browser on a personal computer or from the screen of some Android devices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roku</span> Brand of streaming media players

Roku is a brand of smart TV operating systems, smart TVs, streaming devices, and smart home and audio products designed and marketed by Roku, Inc., headquartered in San Jose, California, United States. Roku's smart TV products primarily offer access to streaming media content, including streaming television, from online services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amazon Fire TV</span> Line of digital media players and microconsoles by Amazon

Amazon Fire TV is a line of digital media players and microconsoles developed by Amazon. The devices are small network appliances that deliver digital audio and video content streamed via the Internet to a connected high-definition television. They also allow users to access local content and to play video games with the included remote control or another game controller, or by using a mobile app remote control on another device.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Android TV</span> Android operating system version for television sets and digital media players

Android TV is a smart TV operating system based on Android and developed by Google. It is available on television sets, soundbars, set-top boxes and digital media players. A successor to Google TV, it features a user interface designed around content discovery and voice search, content aggregation from various media apps and services, and integration with other recent Google technologies such as Assistant, Cast, and Knowledge Graph.

Google TV is a digital distribution service for movies and TV shows. It is operated by Google. Announced in September 2020, as a service it allows users to search and discover video titles available across multiple streaming services as well as to rent or to buy available titles from Google and add any selected title to a watchlist for watching or accessing such titles from eligible devices and platforms. The buy, rent or preorder options were also part of Google Play Movies & TV, another service by Google which later was moved to Google TV service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sling TV</span> American streaming television service

Sling TV is an American streaming television service operated by Sling TV LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dish Network. Unveiled on January 5, 2015, at the Consumer Electronics Show, the virtual multichannel video programming distributor aims to complement subscription video on demand services for cord cutters, offering a selection of major cable channels and OTT-originated services that can be streamed through smart TVs, digital media players and apps. The service is available in the United States and Puerto Rico as of 2015.

tvOS Operating system for the Apple TV

tvOS is an operating system developed by Apple Inc. for the Apple TV, a digital media player. In the first-generation Apple TV, Apple TV Software was based on Mac OS X. Starting with the second generation, the software is based on the iOS operating system and has many similar frameworks, technologies, and concepts.

The Apple TV app is a line of media player software programs developed by Apple Inc. for viewing television shows and films delivered by Apple to consumer electronic devices. It can stream content from the iTunes Store, the Apple TV Channels a la carte video on demand service, and the Apple TV+ original content subscription service. On iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Vision Pro, and Apple TV devices it can also index and access content from linked apps of other video on demand services.

HarmonyOS (HMOS) is a distributed operating system developed by Huawei for smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, smart watches, personal computers and other smart devices. It has a multikernel design with dual frameworks: the operating system selects suitable kernels from the abstraction layer in the case of devices that use diverse resources. The operating system was officially launched by Huawei in August 2019.

The version history of the HarmonyOS distributed operating system began with the public release of the HarmonyOS 1.0 for Honor Vision smart TVs on August 9, 2019. The first expanded commercial version of the Embedded, IoT AI, Edge computing based operating system, HarmonyOS 2.0, was released on June 2, 2021 for phones, tablets, smartwatches, smart speakers, routers, and internet of things. Beforehand, DevEco Studio, the HarmonyOS app development IDE, was released in September 2020 together with the HarmonyOS 2.0 Beta. HarmonyOS is developed by Huawei. New major releases are announced at the Huawei Developers Conference (HDC) in the fourth quarter of each year together with the first public beta version of the operating system's next major version. The next major stable version is then released in the third to fourth quarter of the following year.

References

  1. ↑ RokuCommunity (September 2023). "A package manager for the Roku platform". Github. Retrieved 2023-10-07.
  2. ↑ Palermo (2021-10-15). "Roku Streaming Stick 4K Review: Midrange, But Definitely Not Middling". Cord Cutters News. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  3. ↑ Palermo (2020-10-15). "Roku Ultra 2020 Review: More Speed, More Features, and a Bit More Ultra". Cord Cutters News. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  4. 1 2 Sarangapurkar, Vishnu (2023-03-09). "Roku is getting a big update, brings its new smart TVs to Best Buy". Android Central. Retrieved 2023-11-11.
  5. 1 2 Lee, Wendy (2022-01-12). "Roku doubles down on L.A. as it makes big programming push". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  6. 1 2 "Android TV, Fire TV grew streaming OS market share with new strategies in 2022". www.spglobal.com. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  7. 1 2 3 Price, Dan (2019-12-13). "What's the Best Smart TV Operating System?". MUO. Retrieved 2023-10-21.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cohen, Simon (2023-08-04). "What is Roku? The streaming platform fully explained". Digital Trends . Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  9. 1 2 3 LinuxDevices Staff (2004-01-08). "SDK, coding contest launch around Linux-based HDTV media player". linuxdevices.org. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  10. 1 2 3 Jarvey, Natalie (2018-01-03). "CES: Roku Expands Into Audio Devices With Home Entertainment Licensing Program". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  11. ↑ Svetlik, Joe (2015-10-06). "Roku OS 7 coming to all Roku devices this month". Trusted Reviews. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  12. ↑ "Roku OS software release notes". support.roku.com. 2023-10-05. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  13. ↑ Goode, Lauren (2017-10-02). "Roku rolls out Roku OS 8, refreshes TV hardware with 4K and faster processors". The Verge. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  14. 1 2 Newman, Lily Hay (2018-06-19). "Millions of Streaming Devices Are Vulnerable to a Retro Web Attack". Wired . ISSN   1059-1028 . Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  15. ↑ Fingas, Jon (2019-04-09). "Roku saves you from signing into accounts on a new device". Engadget. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  16. 1 2 Maring, Joseph (2021-04-14). "Roku OS 10: All The New Features & Upgrades Explained". Screen Rant . Retrieved 2023-11-11.
  17. ↑ Lawler, Richard (2021-05-18). "Roku jailbreak gives users control over what channels they install". Engadget . Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  18. ↑ Bonifacic, Igor (2022-03-22). "Roku OS 11 adds new audio options, photo screensavers and more". Engadget. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  19. ↑ Welch, Chris (2023-10-04). "Roku's next update focuses on sports, live TV, and easier content discovery". The Verge. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  20. ↑ Fletcher, Bevin (2024-04-11). "Roku updates streaming OS experience with art backdrops, discovery features". www.streamtvinsider.com. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  21. ↑ Frankellast, Daniel (2020-09-17). "Roku Devices Are 'Much Cheaper to Build' vs. Android TV, CFO Says". NextTV. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  22. ↑ Krol, Jake (2018-12-23). "Roku Premiere and Premiere+ review: You should consider only one". Mashable. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  23. ↑ Button, Chris (2022-11-04). "Roku TV finally comes to Australia courtesy of TCL". GadgetGuy. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  24. ↑ Casey, Henry T. (2023-03-23). "Roku Streaming Stick 4K review: The new best streaming device". Tom's Guide. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  25. ↑ Rahmat, Omid (2023-03-10). "Roku and Google Updated Their TV Apps". displaydaily.com. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  26. ↑ Patterson, Ben (2022-09-12). "Roku OS 11.5 boosts "continue watching" and "save list" features". TechHive . Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  27. ↑ Walker, Rob (2023-07-28). "Why is Roku's stock soaring? Take a look at Roku City". www.fastcompany.com. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
  28. ↑ Winkie, Luke (2022-11-02). "Pack Your Bags, We're Moving to 'Roku City'". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2024-04-19.
  29. ↑ Snider, Mike (2015-04-30). "Nielsen teams with Roku to measure Net video viewership". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  30. ↑ Keck, Catie (2021-10-29). "Roku launches new personal-use developer kit". The Verge. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  31. ↑ Siegal, Jacob (2022-02-26). "Roku just added a great new feature that Netflix has had for years". BGR. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  32. ↑ Onawole, Habeeb (2022-09-13). "Roku OS 11.5: All The New Features Coming To Your Roku Device". Screen Rant . Retrieved 2023-11-11.
  33. ↑ Spangler, Todd (2023-01-04). "Roku Announces First Smart TVs Designed and Made by the Company". Variety. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  34. ↑ Hecht, Anna (2020-01-27). "Roku was the top tech stock in 2019; here's how much you'd have if you invested at IPO". CNBC. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  35. ↑ Baig, Edward C. "First Look: New Roku 4 adds 4K streaming". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  36. ↑ Silva, Robert (2020-03-17). "Spotlight on Hitachi 4K Ultra HD TVs with Built-in Roku Streaming". Lifewire. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  37. ↑ Spangler, Todd (2022-10-13). "Roku Channel Launches in Mexico". Variety. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  38. ↑ KRIEGER, JÖRN (2022-09-01). "Roku launches Roku TV OS in Germany". Broadband TV News. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  39. ↑ Archer, John (2023-07-23). "New Roku TVs Launch In UK Courtesy Of Polaroid". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
  40. ↑ Willcox, James K. (2022-03-19). "TV Brands Aren't Always What They Seem". Consumer Reports. Retrieved 2023-11-14.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.