Roku announced today that its newest software update, Roku OS 11, will be rolling out in the coming weeks. Roku OS 11 will bring more personalization, new audio features (hello, Dialogue mode, for those whispering conversations), an improved mobile experience, and Roku Photo Streams.
With Roku Photo Streams, users can customize their Roku experience by using their personal photos for their Roku screensavers. Users can upload their photos directly to Roku devices using desktop or mobile, turning their screen into a digital photo frame. Roku will also allow for shared albums, allowing users to upload photos and share with other Roku users who can add their own photos, giving friends and family shared access to an always-changing personalized screensaver.
“At Roku, we are laser-focused on tailoring the streaming and visual experience to fit our customers’ personal preferences,” said Gidon Katz, Senior Vice President Product & Experience at Roku. “We recognize not everyone interacts with their TV in the same way, so we are proud to offer a platform full of choice, while simultaneously providing our users an easy-to-use experience. With Roku OS 11, we’re offering a platform with new personalized updates across search, audio, content discovery along with a new feature that allows our customers to display and even share photo albums through Roku devices.”
Along with Roku Photo Streams, here’s what you’ll see with Roku OS 11.
ROKU AUDIO
- Automatic Speech Clarity and Sound Modes – Roku strives to deliver the best sound, always. Now available for Roku audio products, Roku’s new automatic speech clarity setting dynamically identifies and amplifies dialogue, so you don’t miss a word.
- New Sound Modes for Roku Streambar and Speakers products– Choose the optimal settings for whatever you’re streaming. Our new sound modes, Standard, Dialogue, Movie, Music, and Night are easily accessed by pressing the star button * on your Roku remote or through the Roku mobile app and are tailored for different viewing scenarios to ensure the best audio experience.
- A/V Sync – Roku is expanding A/V sync to supported player and audio devices with a simple calibration tool within the Roku Mobile app, syncing audio with the action on the screen. This feature is available when you have a player or Streambar device connected to the Roku mobile app and is accessible within the settings menu.
EXPANDED CONTENT DISCOVERY
- What to Watch on Home Screen Menu –What to Watch is a new destination added to the Home Screen Menu, leading to movies and TV shows from a variety of streaming channels, including those users most frequently interact with. What to Watch provides easy access, a personalized selection of new titles that were recently added, recommendations for users based on popular and trending content, and so much more.
- Live TV on Home Screen Menu – In January, we added a Live TV Zone on the Home Screen Menu giving users easy access to free live and linear content from The Roku Channel as well as cable alternatives, including Hulu, fuboTV, Philo, Sling, and YouTube TV, to name a few. With Roku OS 11, you will be able to see your recently watched live tv content and discover the latest in local and national news, sports, movies, and more in the Live TV section now located on the Home Screen Menu.
ROKU VOICE
- Voice Enabled Keyboard – Roku Voice simplifies device setup and channel login for supported apps by allowing users to enter email, password, and PIN information with their voice. With OS 11, voice-enabled keyboards will be available in Spanish, German, and Portuguese in the U.S. and supported countries.
MOBILE APP
- Mobile Content Details – With OS 11, the free Roku mobile app will provide users with a more visual experience when searching on the platform. New visual elements with OS 11 provide additional information about where to stream movies and TV shows, highlighting which channels are streaming the content for free or where it can be streamed within existing subscriptions, allowing everyone to get more out of the channels they are paying for. The new content details on the mobile app also show visual images of the cast and crew to assist with choosing what to watch. All of these updates are the perfect match to the recently added Save List, which allows you to save movies and TV shows while on the go so that you can stream them when you’re back home and ready to watch.
