Roku and TLC have presented a new lineup of 4K TVs that come with Roku OS, including all the functionalities of a Roku box. Customers in the United States will be able to stream content from up to 10 channels that offer 4K UHD. These new models can be acquired on Amazon or BestBuy from $599,99 for the 55-Inch version.
TLC said in a press release that the award-winning S-series will now include new 55-inch and 65-Inch models, for $599 and $999 respectively, which can be pre-ordered now on Amazon.com.
On the other hand, the P130 series will also come with Roku OS, including a new remote with a headphone jack for private listening, voice search and Remote finder. The 43-inch model can be acquired from $499, while the 55-inch and 65-inch cost $699 and $1099 respectively.
“The time is right to bring these new 4K TVs to consumers as the 4K market has matured quickly over the last year, with new standards set in place and 4K content creation increasing,” said Chris Larson, vice president, sales and marketing, TCL.
Currently, TV shows such as Alpha House, Orphan Black and Mozart In The Jungle can be seen in 4K resolution. Moreover, House of Cards, Marco Polo, Breaking Bad, The Blacklist, and others can be streamed from Netflix 4K on a 4K TCL Roku TV.
Mr. Carson added that Roku alongside TCL want to make Ultra HD content easily accessible for customers while offering competitive prices, and great hardware, since all 4K TCL Roku TV models are powered by a quad-core processor, and include dual-band Wi-Fi and Ethernet.
Another interesting feature that comes with the new set of TVs is the Spotlight Channel, which shows a curated selection of 4K content that will be updated regularly. Moreover, it will collect 4K content from Amazon Video, Netflix, VUDU, Youtube and UltraFLix, if customers are subscribed to those services.
The race in the streaming market
Last year, research firm Parks Associates said that Amazon, Apple, Google and Roku accounted 86 percent of streaming devices sold in 2014. Moreover, the firm estimates that 86 million streaming media devices will be sold in the world in 2019.
“Roku continues to lead streaming media device sales in the U.S. with 34% of units sold in 2014. Google is second with 23%, and new entrant Amazon overtook Apple for third place,” said Barbara Kraus, Director of Research, Parks Associates, in a report published last year.
Google and VIZIO’s new TV with Google Cast
In a similar strategy, Google announced this week a new alliance with VIZIO. As a result, the TV developer is going to sell devices that include the software of the rebranded Google Cast, which means that customers who purchase a VIZIO TV won’t need to buy an extra Google Cast dongle.
The Smartcast P-Series offer 4K picture quality and High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology. Moreover, it comes with a 6-inch Android Tablet Remote, which features a 1080p screen, a V8 octa-core processor, and wireless charging, which can be interesting to customers who usually use standard remote controls.
Prices start at $1,299 for the 55-inch model, while the 65-inch and 75-inch models cost $1,999 and $3,799 respectively. All models can already be ordered on Amazon.com and BestBuy.
Source: Roku Press Release
What’s up with the TLC and TCL? Is that a typo?