The rush to get FCC approval for new devices before Christmas is on, and Roku has submitted five new SKUS, which suggests that as many as five new Rokus will come out this fall.
The filing was found by Dave Zatz:
Maybe 5 new Roku skus? Digging. https://t.co/EE0ae3URhf
— Dave Zatz (@davezatz) August 24, 2016
Key features from the FCC filing:
- 2 of the 3 boxes will have a Remote Locator, which is something only the Roku 4 currently has
- Only 2 of the 3 boxes will have a USB port
- 2 of the boxes will have Optical Audio Out
- Only 1 of the boxes has an Ethernet port
- Only 1 of the boxes will have a Micro SD slot, which is something both the Roku 2 and 3 currently have
- At least 2 of the new Rokus will have HDR 4K
From everything I am seeing, I’m starting to think that there will be a full refresh of the Roku lineup: from the Roku 1 to the Roku 4 and everything in between. I also expect to see a return of the Roku SE that we saw last fall.
The Roku SE ended up being just a Roku 1 with some different quick buttons. The Roku SE was sold at just $25 for Black Friday. I would not be surprised to see a Roku SE return this fall. The 2016 Roku SE may be nothing like the 2015 Roku SE. It could be a copy of any model with different quick buttons and a different case.
So let’s take a quick look at this. There are five new devices reported in this FCC filing. They could be a Roku 1, Roku 2, Roku 3, and a Roku 4 plus a new Roku SE for Black Friday.
Let’s get into the crazy speculations mode:
At least 2 will have HDR capabilities: the new higher-end 4K with better color definition. My guess is a new Roku 4 with HDR and maybe a Roku Stick with 4K and HDR. (The new Roku stick is powerful enough to pull it off.)
I expect a refreshed Roku 1 because it is the oldest model they still sell. Yet Amazon is sold out of the Roku 1 right now and only 3rd party sellers have it in stock. Even the refurbished Roku 1s have been dropped to $35 on Amazon.
Or there could be a New Roku TV with HDR a new Roku 3 and 4 with HDR along with a new Roku SE… (We could keep guessing…)
As for when we will see these devices it is likely still a few months out: maybe October or November. I will also add that just because there is a new filing does not mean you will see any major changes in the Roku 2 or 3. They could be doing a change to the hardware on the inside with less noticeable changes to the end users.
Well that is the end of the crazy speculations. For now that is all we know.
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