Amazon rival packed with free bonus channels is launching mega-cheap TVs from £149
ROKU is launching a budget smart TV with more than 100 free live channels that Brits can grab off the shelves for just £149.
Roku TVs include the most popular streaming apps around, in addition to their own Roku Channel.
This includes Netflix, Disney+, ITVX, BBC iPlayer, Now TV, More 4, My 5, Discovery+ and Pluto TV.
But this latest television range, produced under a new partnership with Curry’s electronics brand Logik, will also support Freeview with an antenna, as well as Freeview Play.
Freeview Play combines Freeview’s linear channels with Wi-Fi streaming and on-demand apps.
This is not to be confused with Freely, Freeview’s streaming app that will hit screens later this year.
The new television models support features such as screen mirroring, which allows users to send content from their smartphones to the big screen.
The latest Roku TV is available in a range of picture quality options, from HD to ultra-sharp 4K images and formats.
Screen sizes range from 32″, 40″, 43″ to 50″, and start at £149.99.
The new Roku Logik TVs will be available on Currys website later this month.
Affordable
Last year, Roku started selling its smart TVs in supermarkets including Asda and Tesco.
The company has partnered with a range of big names in the technology industry to bring its TVs to customers, such as Ferguson, Sharp and Polaroid.
The main focus is to make smart TVs affordable and accessible to the UK market, which continues to battle inflation.
“We are pleased to announce the launch of the Roku operating system for our Logik TVs,” Senior Buyer at Currys, Paul Slater, said in the announcement.
“I am confident that this exciting new partnership will not only complement our existing portfolio, but further strengthen our offering of customer-centric smart TVs.”
How Roku became a household name
ROKU has become a household name in both the UK and US thanks to its Fire Stick-style streaming devices.
Although the Roku Sticks have become increasingly difficult to find in Britain in recent months, they are Amazon’s biggest competitors.
The company, headquartered in California, first partnered with Netflix in 2008 for its digital media player.
Since then, it has launched at least 10 generations of streaming players.
According to a 2022 report from Conviva, Roku is said to have about a third of the total TV streaming hours around the world.
Affordability has been at the heart of the brand since its inception in 2002, when it was founded by billionaire businessman Anthony Wood.
So it’s no wonder that a brand’s first wave of smart TVs made headlines in 2023 for their price tags.