Roku, Inc. has announced that the long-awaited Roku 4 streaming player is now available for pre-order, and will be available in U.S. stores in late October. The new Roku OS 7 operating system will be pushed out beginning in mid-October. Also, the free Roku Mobile App for iOS and Android has received a major update.
Roku 4 Streaming Player
The Roku 4 is being billed by Roku, Inc. as "the best streaming player yet." The Roku 4 offers the following enhancements over other current-generation Roku players:
4K Ultra HD support for 4K Ultra HD TV owners with HDMI/HDCP 2.2 and a minimum of 15 Mbps broadband connection speed. A curated 4K Spotlight channel will provide instant access to 4K movies and TV shows.
Quad-Core processor will provide up to 60 fps 4K streaming.
Optical digital audio port will allow you to route audio directly to your sound system, eliminating the need to keep your TV turned on when listening to audio-only Roku channels.
802.11ac MIMO dual-band wireless offers faster speed and better performance than 802.11 b/g/n dual-band wireless (which is still available on Roku 4 for those with 802.11 b/g/n routers).
Remote Finder will issue an audible alert from your lost Roku when you activate it. The remote also comes with voice search, a headphone jack for private listening, and motion-control for gaming.
In a reversal of Roku's trend of downsizing each generation of the streaming player, Roku 4 measures 6.5 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches, shorter but quite a bit wider and deeper than the Roku 3's dimensions of 3.5 x 3.5 x 1 inches. Also larger is the price: Roku 4 has an MSRP of $129.99, $30 more than the previous-top-of-the-line Roku 3. (Budget-conscious streamers can still get the Roku 1 or Roku Streaming Stick for under $50.)
Roku OS 7
While the Roku 4 is available only in the U.S. for the time being (Roku, Inc. has not provided a timetable for availability in other countries), owners of current-generation Roku players in the U.S., Canada and the UK, and owners of Roku TVs in the US and Canada, will receive a free software update that includes the new Roku OS 7. Roll-out should be complete by the end of November.
Roku OS 7 will make it easier to travel with your Roku player. The Hotel and Dorm Connect feature will allow you to connect your Roku to Wi-Fi networks that require sign-in through a web browser, like those in hotel rooms and college dorms. Connect your Roku to the password-protected network and sign-in using the browser on your cell phone, tablet, or laptop.
The current Roku Feed feature is focused on "Movies Coming Soon," which lets know when a movie or TV show you're tracking is available on any of the top Roku channels. Feed has been updated in OS 7 so that you can follow movies, TV shows, actors, and directors. You will also receive updates on changes to price in addition to availability of movies and TV episodes.
Roku Mobile App
The free Roku mobile app for iOS and Android devices is receiving a major update to coincide with Roku OS 7. The new app will make it easier to access key features like Roku Search, Roku Feed, Remote Control and Play on Roku. The updated Roku Mobile App also displays notifications of updates in Roku Feed. Photos on your mobile device can be cast to your Roku and you can create your own custom screensaver that plays when your Roku 4 is idle.
The Roku 4, with its faster processor, optical audio output, 802.11ac MIMO Wi-Fi, and many other features, is sure to offer stiff competition to Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV. And that's before you add in the new Roku OS 7 with Hotel and Dorm Connect, plus the updated Roku Mobile App.
