All posts tagged: Roku

Roku Hits Milestone Of More Than 100 Million Streaming Devices

Roku Hits Milestone Of More Than 100 Million Streaming Devices

Published by Daniella Wilson

Roku has hit more than 100 million streaming households worldwide, reaching a long standing goal for the streaming and devices company. The company reached this milestone in April, after last announcing that it had reached more than 90 million streaming households in January 2025. Beyond those big announcements, Roku has stopped providing quarterly updates on the metric, saying it preferred to focus on platform revenue and profitability. But with 100 million streaming households, Roku is pushing forward on its promises to investors and growing alongside the expansion of the streaming ecosystem. In its last earnings report, Roku came in above investor guidance, due to the strength of platform revenue, as the company cited growth in video advertising, as well as improvements to its interface. In December 2025, The Roku Channel also hit an all-time high, representing 6.3 percent of all TV streaming, according to the Nielsen Gauge.  Roku has also been working to pull more users to their platform through the introduction of Howdy, a low-cost streaming platform the company launched in August.  “Surpassing 100 …

Roku adds 6 free channels amid massive 2026 content push

Roku adds 6 free channels amid massive 2026 content push

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Roku has quietly added six free channels to its streaming platform. The Roku Channel, which automatically comes with the purchase of any Roku TV or device, brings over 500 free live channels to customers without requiring any subscription fees. After the most recent update launched Tuesday, viewers now have access to six new ad-supported options across a variety of genres, from Westerns to sitcoms to competition shows.Rawhide, The Beverly Hillbillies, Ink Master, Tosh.0, MTV en Español and Westerns are all available to watch now on the Roku Channel with commercial breaks. Rawhide is an American Western TV series that aired from 1959 to 1965, starring Eric Fleming and Clint Eastwood. The show’s eight seasons will air on a loop available to channel 313 on The Roku Channel. Viewers can get even more Western content on channel 6036, which is dedicated entirely …

The Best Roku TV Is 0 Off

The Best Roku TV Is $210 Off

Published by skeptic

Every modern TV comes with some kind of smart interface, but a lot of users will opt to plug in a seperate streamer anyway for their preferred experience. If you were going to reach for a Roku anyway, you might check out the brand’s first-party screen offering, the Roku Pro Series QLED. The 55-inch model is currently on sale for $690 from Amazon, a $110 markdown from the usual price, with discounts available on the 65-inch and 75-inch versions as well. Roku Pro Series QLED TV (2025) Just because it’s made by a streaming company doesn’t mean they cut corners. This mini-LED, QLED-powered panel handles dark colors and shadows with grace, with no haloing or distortion like you might find on other QLED screens at lower price points. It handles video games well too, with a refresh rate up to 120Hz, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) so everything stays locked in when the action kicks up and your framerate drops, and low latency mode for faster response times. There are only two HDMI 2.1 ports, with …

The Best Roku Is Off

The Best Roku Is $20 Off

Published by skeptic

Looking for an upgraded Roku that’s a great match for your new 4K TV? Right now, both Amazon and Best Buy have the 2024 Roku Ultra discounted to $80, a $20 break from the usual price. It spots dual-band Wi-Fi and Ethernet for a more consistent connection, support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+, and the remote has a headphone port. While there are a ton of great Roku streaming devices to choose from, the Ultra stands out for a few reasons. Streaming in 4K requires a huge amount of bandwidth, and some wireless networks just aren’t up to the task, particularly if your TV isn’t near your router. A true dual-band Wi-Fi setup in the Roku Ultra helps ensure a stutter-free experience on all of your favorite streaming services. If you really hate buffering and dropped connections, there’s an Ethernet port around back for a wired hookup, something most other streaming devices can’t claim. Another nice upgrade you get with your Roku Ultra kit is the remote, which includes a built-in 3.5mm headphone jack. That’s …

How to clear your Roku TV cache (and put an end to slow performance)

How to clear your Roku TV cache (and put an end to slow performance)

Published by skeptic

Maria Diaz/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Can you believe that the first Roku device launched 17 years ago? It was initially developed in partnership with Netflix to stream its “Watch Instantly” service. Since then, the company has released numerous generations of streaming players and its very own Roku TVs — which means you might own one of these older devices. What is a cache? Just like your computer or smartphone, your Roku TV also stores temporary data (the cache) to help apps load faster. It’s like a digital shortcut; when you open an app, instead of redownloading everything from scratch, your Roku remembers certain elements, like images or login information. Over time, this cache can become cluttered, corrupted, or just plain too full. When that happens, it can lead to sluggish performance, apps freezing, audio-video sync issues, or even those dreaded error messages that pop up right when the show you’re watching is getting good. Also: Every Roku user should know these 20+ hidden menus and shortcuts for the best experience While …

Your Roku just got 9 more channels to watch for free – including a big one for comedy fans

Your Roku just got 9 more channels to watch for free – including a big one for comedy fans

Published by skeptic

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways Roku just added more channels to its free live TV lineup. There are new channels for sitcoms, sports, clips, and more. You can watch even if you don’t have a Roku TV. Roku has quietly upgraded its free streaming options, and you now have even more content to watch for free. If you’re not familiar, Roku has a “Live TV” section of the Roku Channel app. It functions a lot like old-school cable TV: there are ad breaks, no fast-forwarding or rewinding, and you watch what’s on instead of searching for something on demand. But unlike cable, the channels are all totally free.  Also: You can watch local news on Roku for free – no subscription or antenna required With hundreds of options to choose from, you’ll find channels dedicated to a single show (like COPS, Gunsmoke, and Little House on the Prairie), Hallmark movies, local news, weather, sports, and more.  It was less than a month …

Roku to launch streaming bundles as part of its efforts to continue growing its profitability

Roku to launch streaming bundles as part of its efforts to continue growing its profitability

Published by skeptic

Roku shared its fourth-quarter earnings for 2025 this week, as well as some exciting plans in the pipeline. The company is rolling out new streaming bundles, expanding its $3 subscription service, Howdy, to more platforms, and partnering with more premium streaming services following the successful addition of HBO Max. Launching bundles in 2026 is a smart move, as it could attract more viewers looking for enticing deals amid rising subscription prices. Many streaming platforms have been increasing their rates recently, and Roku aims to appeal to cost-conscious consumers. The positive impact of HBO Max on Roku’s premium subscriptions has encouraged the company to continue this strategy by adding more top-tier partners, which is likely to drive growth going forward. Additionally, Roku launched its ad-free subscription streaming service, Howdy, last year and plans to expand its availability beyond the Roku platform. While specific details remain undisclosed, Roku CEO Anthony Wood stated at CES last month that the goal is to distribute Howdy widely, saying, “We want to distribute it everywhere.” Other highlights include Roku users streaming …

Roku Hits Milestone Of More Than 100 Million Streaming Devices

Roku Sees Higher Revenue, Positive Net Income For 2025

Published by Daniella Wilson

For the fourth quarter, Roku reported net revenue of $1.5 billion, up 16 percent year over year and above its guidance, and net income of $80.5 million, or 53 cents per share, also above prior guidance and Wall Street expectations.  Platform revenue made up the bulk of it, bringing in $1.2 billion, up 18 percent, as the company cited growth in video advertising, as well as improvements to the interface. In December 2025, The Roku Channel hit an all-time high, representing 6.3 percent of all TV streaming, according to the Nielsen Gauge.  Roku also saw its biggest quarter for net adds to premium subscriptions, in which users can subscribe to third-party streaming services through Roku. The company attributed the increase to holiday promotions and improvements within the Roku interface. Additionally, after establishing sports hubs on Roku, which feature Roku Channel free offerings as well as games on other subscription services, subscription sign-ups driven by these features increased nearly 75 percent year over year.  For the full year, Roku reported net revenue of $4.7 billion, up …

How to clear your Roku TV cache (and put an end to slow performance)

I changed 6 settings on my Roku TV to instantly give it a performance boost

Published by skeptic

Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. Nothing kills the vibe of a good show faster than the dreaded spinning icon or random freezes. If your Roku TV is stuttering or buffering, don’t give up — here’s how to fix it. Also: I watched Roku’s free live TV channels, and it felt like the cable I grew up with Like phones and computers, Rokus have caches that accumulate temporary data, which inevitably slows them down over time. There are simple ways to clear up this hidden clutter and get your Roku TV behaving like its normal, healthy self. Here are a few methods to clear your Roku’s cache, improve its speed, and make shows play smoothly again. 1. Start by unplugging it Maria Diaz/ZDNET This one almost sounds too easy to bother with, but it’s commonly the first step tech troubleshooters take when fixing fussy devices. Sometimes it even does the trick. Unplug the unit, walk away for a few minutes to let all those electronic pulses fizzle out, …

Upgrade Your Roku Before the Big Game

Upgrade Your Roku Before the Big Game

Published by skeptic

Tired of fighting with your television’s built-in streaming service every time you want to watch a movie? You can save on a variety of our favorite Roku streaming devices ahead of the final game of the football season. Our pick for most people is the Streaming Stick 4K, which is currently marked down from $50 to just $35 on Amazon, and has full support for both 4K streaming and Dolby Vision. While other streamers require extra plugs and table space, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K hangs directly from an HDMI port on the back of your screen, quietly hidden away from the world. It doesn’t skimp on features though, with full 4K and even Dolby Vision support, an impressive offer for such a small device. Like other Roku streaming devices, the remote has a built-in microphone. With the press of a button, you can ask it for a show or movie, and it will find that title from across your streaming services and start playing it. While some of the more expensive Roku have completely …