Users would embrace the idea of a new free to use streaming network because majority of the population is under quarantine now. The Roku Channel which is an ad-supported streaming service has been officially launched in the UK with over 10,000 movies and TV shows to choose from.
Roku is an extremely popular streaming device manufacturer who made the Roku box, the streaming stick before Amazon and Google stepped into the game. They have exclusive partnership with all major channels globally but the launch is limited to the United Kingdom for now.
Launching a new channel at this time when millions are at home and ready to watch content requires raw server power to handle the load. It could be one of the reasons that made the company limit itself to just one country and slowly expand it to more regions, it is already available in few regions including the U.S. The channel is available to watch on all Roku devices, Now TV sticks and also on Sky Q set top boxes, if you can download the Roku app on it.
In their statement, Roku’s VP Rob Holmes said, “The ad-supported streaming platforms are the most preferred medium and we are extremely glad to bring it to our customers. The value added service will definitely grow in terms of continue as time progress.”
In the US, Roku Channel is already available since 2017 and has a dedicated section for kids so that they could enjoy content while parents could focus on their household duties. If live in the USA, you can subscribe to get access to Showtime and HBO content. In the UK, Roku channel has partnership with Lionsgate and Sony Pictures Television that should bring in more movies in due time along with the feature to be able to watch it on more devices.
