Saratoga, Calif. — Roku added voice search to its top-end Roku 3 streaming A/V player and accelerated the performance of its Roku 2.
The company also launched a Roku Feed feature that delivers automatic updates of planned new content, with pricing and availability dates. The feature focuses initially on movies.
The new $69 Roku 2 and $99 Roku 3 are available today, joining the Roku Streaming Stick and the Roku 1.
The new Roku 3, like its predecessor, tops out the Roku streamer line and now comes with a new remote control that features a button to activate voice search, a headphone jack to enable private listening, and motion control to play casual games.
The new Roku 2 was upgraded to match the speed and the performance of the new Roku 3 but lacks the Roku 3’s enhanced remote.
Roku is also updating its free mobile app to control the Roku players without the included Wi-Fi remote. An updated version of the Android version became available today and will be followed later this week by an iOS version. Both add support for the new search and discovery features announced today.
In addition, Roku began rolling out a software update to add the search and discovery features to all current-generation Roku devices introduced after April 2011. The rollout is expected to be completed by the end of the month.
The new Roku Feed feature lets consumers know the price and availability date of new content, starting with movies. Under the My Feed tab on the home screen, consumers click to “follow” in-theater movies of particular interest, and Roku will automatically deliver the information when available. Consumers will receive updates in the Roku Feed when a movie is first released to streaming, becomes available from additional streaming channels, or changes price, the company said.
Roku’s streaming devices access 250,000 movies and TV episodes available for streaming through more than 2,000 streaming channels. Offerings include CBS News, HBO Go and Sling TV.
