Roku to Launch New TVs and AI-Powered Features in Spring

Roku will launch a new series of TVs in the United States in the spring.

The new Roku Pro Series will join the company’s existing Roku Select and Plus Series TVs, Roku said in a Wednesday (Jan. 3) press release.

“Roku Pro Series’ picture and audio quality, polished design, unique features and ease of use bring the market leadership and innovation that Roku is known for to a TV made for streaming,” Chris Larson, vice president of retail strategy at Roku, said in the release. “As we hit 10 years of the Roku TV program, we believe this new line of TVs will set a new standard for an elevated streaming experience.”

The Roku Pro Series TVs will feature a 4K QLED display, Mini-LED, local dimming, enhanced audio technology and a design that rests flat against the wall, according to the release.

The new TVs will be available in three sizes: 55 inches, 65 inches and 75 inches, the release said.

They will be powered by Roku’s operating system and equipped with a new premium Roku remote, per the release.

The new Pro Series TVs will cost as much as $1,500, making them Roku’s first high-end TVs and putting the company in competition with Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics models in that price range, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.

Roku’s existing Select and Plus Series models top out at $999, according to the report.

Roku will also add a new set of artificial intelligence-powered features to all of its TVs this spring, according to the company’s Wednesday release.

Called Roku Smart Picture, the set of features will use AI, machine learning and data from content partners to identify what kind of content is on a screen and then automatically adjust the picture for an optimized viewing experience, the release said.

These new features will be incorporated into all Roku TV models, including the new Pro Series, per the release.

These new additions to Roku’s offerings come about six months after the company teamed up with Shopify to combine streaming TV with shopping. Via the partnership, Roku viewers can buy goods from Shopify merchants from their TVs via Roku’s Action Ad service.

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