In a fiercely competitive connected TV (CTV) landscape, Roku remains the king of TV operating systems (TVOS) in the United States, according to fresh consumer survey results from Hub Entertainment Research. The 2025 Connected Home report, which surveyed 5,001 U.S. consumers aged 16-74, revealed that 59% of households streaming monthly use Roku’s platform, either through smart TVs or streaming media players like Roku’s HDMI dongles. Samsung’s Tizen OS trailed behind at 49%, underscoring Roku’s edge in the domestic market. Interestingly, Apple TV failed to even be ranked, falling behind XumoTV OS, WebOS, and Vizio in market share.
The findings, however, stand in contrast to a recent report from the Advertising Research Foundation (ARF), cited by Samsung, which claimed Tizen had overtaken Roku as the leading CTV platform in the U.S. The ARF study pointed to a sharp decline in the usage of Roku’s HDMI pucks and dongles since 2023, suggesting a shift toward smart TVs with native OS integration. This discrepancy highlights the complexity of measuring market dominance in a rapidly evolving ecosystem where consumer preferences and device types vary widely.
Hub’s survey also shed light on emerging players in the CTV space. Xumo, a joint venture between Comcast and Charter, captured a 7% share among U.S. streaming households, a notable achievement for a relatively new entrant. Meanwhile, VIDAA, a platform developed by Chinese electronics giant Hisense, has gained traction globally, controlling nearly 8% of CTV devices worldwide, according to a June 2024 study by the Connected TV Marketing Association. However, VIDAA failed to register in Hub’s U.S.-focused rankings, underscoring the challenges foreign platforms face in penetrating the American market.
The absence of a single dominant TVOS in the U.S. signals a dynamic market ripe for innovation, according to Hub. “As ownership of smart TVs becomes universal, there’s still room to grow in improving the viewing experience,” said Jason Platt Zolov, senior consultant at Hub. “Without a single TV operating system dominating the market, each has the opportunity to better integrate paid and free streaming services and AI viewing enhancements to help gain the attention of consumers.”
One area ripe for improvement is universal search functionality. Hub’s survey found that only 56% of respondents use their TVOS to search for content, with many preferring to navigate individual streaming apps. This “hunt and peck” approach suggests that platforms like Roku and Tizen need to develop more intuitive, centralized search tools to enhance user experience.
The survey also highlighted a generational divide in enthusiasm for AI-driven features. While younger users are more open to innovations like AI voice matching for personalized viewing, only 45% of consumers over 35 expressed interest in such enhancements. This split poses a challenge for TVOS developers aiming to balance cutting-edge technology with broad accessibility.
As the CTV market continues to evolve, Roku’s lead—however contested—positions it as a formidable player. Yet, with no clear monopoly and rising competitors like Xumo, the race for America’s living rooms remains wide open, promising more advancements and fiercer competition in the years ahead.
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