In January 2018, CNET reported that Roku was debuting a new licensing program for smart audio devices such as smart speakers, sound bars and whole-home audio, while noting the "ease of use" and "superb streaming options" offered by Roku TVs.

[2] Later in 2023, Variety called Roku "the top connected TV platform" in the U.S.[1] In December 2023, a Popular Mechanics review cited Roku TVs to be affordable and easy to use, while also noting that the Roku-integrated TVs lacked "the premium brand badging of big players like Sony or Samsung".

It was developed in partnership with Netflix to serve as a standalone set-top box for its recently introduced "Watch Instantly" service.

Netflix support was initially dependent on a PC, requiring users to add content to their "Instant Queue" from the service's web interface before it could be accessed via Roku.

[17] The next month, they released an updated lineup with thinner form factors: a new HD; the XD, with 1080p support; and the XDS, with optical audio, dual-band Wi-Fi, and a USB port.

[21] In January 2012, Roku unveiled the Streaming Stick - a new model condensed into a dongle form factor using Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL).

[22][23] Later in October, Roku introduced a new search feature to the second-generation models, aggregating content from services usable on the device.

The new Premiere (3920) and Premiere+ (3921) are essentially based on the Express (3900) model with 4K support added, it also includes Roku Streaming Stick+ Headphone Edition (3811) for improving Wifi signal strength and private listening.

The microSD slot was removed from the new Ultra 4800, making it the first top-tier Roku device since the first generation to lack this feature.

These TVs are manufactured by companies like TCL, LG, Westinghouse and Hisense, and use the Roku user interface as the "brain" of the TV.

The first certified brands were TCL North America, Sound United, Polk Audio, Marantz, Definitive Technology, and Classé.

The television offers minimal reflection, an anti-glare display, 4K streaming, and can be used in bright outdoor environments.

Its licensed content includes movies and TV shows from studios such as Lionsgate, MGM, Paramount, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Warner Bros., Disney, and Universal as well as Roku channel content publishers American Classics, FilmRise, Nosey, OVGuide, Popcornflix, Vidmark, and YuYu.

[citation needed] Originally only available in the U.S.,[89] it launched in the UK on April 7, 2020, with a different selection of movies and TV shows, and without premium subscription add-ons.

[90] On January 8, 2021, Roku announced that it had acquired the original content library of the defunct mobile video service Quibi for an undisclosed amount, reported to be around $100 million.

[93] The Daily Beast alleged that non-certified channels on Roku eased access to materials promoting conspiracy theories and terrorism content.

[94] In June 2017, a Mexico City court banned the sale of Roku products in Mexico, following claims by Televisa (via its Izzi cable subsidiary) that the devices were being used for subscription-based streaming services that illegally stream television content without permission from copyright holders.

Roku defended itself against the allegations as such, stating that these channels were not officially certified and that the company takes active measures to stop illegal streaming services.

[95] The 11th Collegiate Court in Mexico City overturned the decision in October 2018, with Roku returning to the Mexican market soon after; Televisa's streaming service Blim TV (now Vix) would also launch on the platform.

[97][86][98] In mid-May 2018, a software glitch caused some users to see copyright takedown notices on legitimate services such as Netflix and YouTube.

[102] On September 18 of that same year, Roku announced that NBCUniversal TV Everywhere services would be removed from its devices "as early as this weekend", due to its refusal to carry the company's streaming service Peacock (which had been unavailable on Roku since its launch in July 2020) under terms it deemed "unreasonable".

[103] HBO Max, which launched in May 2020, was unavailable on Roku until December 2020 due to similar disputes over revenue sharing, particularly in regards to an upcoming ad-supported tier.

[107][108] On April 30, 2021, Roku removed the over-the-top television service YouTube TV from its Channels Store, preventing it from being downloaded.

The company accused operator Google LLC of making demands regarding its YouTube app that it considered "predatory, anti-competitive and discriminatory", including enhanced access to customer data, giving YouTube greater prominence in Roku's search interface, and requiring that Roku implement specific hardware standards that could increase the cost of its devices.