Roku continues to think outside the [set-top] box.
Roku, the maker of streaming players that support a variety of authenticated TV Everywhere apps as well as the Sling TV service, expanded further into the world of smart TVs last week with the launch of seven new models made by China-based TCL.
On the lower-end, TCL’s 3800-series Roku TV line is capped off by a 50-inch model that sells for $479, while the 55-inch, top-of-the-line model for its 3850-series fetches $699.
Roku, which offers more than 2,000 apps and channels via its streaming platform, also has TV integration deals with Hisense, Haier America, Sharp and Insignia (Best Buy’s house CE brand). It’s been implementing that strategy in part to stave off competition from Google and its new Android TV platform.
Roku wouldn’t say how many Roku TV models it has shipped so far. It has shipped more than 10 million standalone streaming devices in the U.S.
