Dwindling signs of a deal between Roku and Google will leave new Roku streaming devices without YouTube and YouTube TV access from early December, it's been revealed, as the on-demand contact fallout continues to bite. Roku removed the YouTube TV app from its channel store back in May, amid contentious accusations from both it and Google about unreasonable licensing demands.
At the tail end of 2021, Roku has a new Roku Streaming Stick 4K made for the masses to access smart streaming content on their big-screen TV. The Roku Streaming Stick 4K will appear in stores and online alongside the Roku Streaming Stick 4K+, a device which is very similar to the 4K, but adds the Roku Voice Remote Pro to the equation. These devices will be launched with Roku OS 10.5, with new functionality in the Roku mobile app for iOS and Android.
This holiday season will bring Roku's first original movie, one that will be made available on the company's free ad-supported Roku Channel streaming service. The Christmas special will be based on the NBC show Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist and it will include the original cast from the series. Once it arrives, Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas will be Roku's first original feature film.
Roku has announced the arrival of new live, linear channels available on its Roku Channel platform. The streaming app is home to a variety of on-demand and live television content, including notable movies and television shows. All but one of the new channels has arrived today, bringing the total to more than 200.
Roku previously swooped in to acquire content from now-defunct short-form video service Quibi and now it is gearing up to release a bunch of originals, including new seasons for some of those shows. As you'd expect, these originals will be exclusive to The Roku Channel, the company's own streaming channel. Even better, you don't need a Roku device to access the channel.
TCL has priced up its 8K TVs, and if you assumed the step up from 4K would break the bank then you might be in for a pleasant surprise. The company announced its 8K 6 Series sets back at CES 2021 in January, but has now bucked the big TV trends by kicking off pricing at just $2,199.99.
For the cost of the monthly subscription to a handful of streaming services, the new Roku Express 4K+ makes a strong platform play for being your set-top box of choice. As always, Roku's pitch is flexibility and user-friendliness, only this time with a picture quality and system speed upgrade plus a handy voice remote. At $39.99, though, what's left out is just as key as what makes the cut, and that's before the challenge of getting every streaming provider to support all of your fancy new features.
It seems Roku and Google are the latest platforms in a squabble over YouTube, this one concerning the YouTube TV app in particular. A dispute between the two companies resulted in Roku removing the YouTube TV app listing from its platform around a week ago, but now Google is back with a change to the main app that gets around the issue.
![Your Roku may lose YouTube TV soon: Here’s why [Updated]](https://www.slashgear.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/rokuout-1280x720.jpg)
If you own a Roku device and depend upon said Roku device for YouTube TV, you might be in for a rude awakening soon. Per an email sent to customers this week on the Roku platform, Google and Roku are in a bit of a dispute. According to Roku, Google is asking to have preferential treatment in search results in the Roku platform - a request Roku suggests they can no longer fulfill.
Back in January, Roku revealed that it had acquired failed streaming service Quibi for its content. The company returned with an update on the matter today, stating that it will rebrand this acquired content as 'Roku Originals,' which it plans to make available on its 'The Roku Channel' streaming service. More than 75 Roku Originals are in the pipeline to launch this year.
Roku is launching a new set-top box, with the Roku Express 4K+ delivering 4K video with HDR10+ support at under forty bucks. Intended to replace the Roku Premiere, the new Express 4K+ sticks with the compact form factor of the Express but upgrades what's inside.
Roku OS 10 is coming, and it promises to be a big deal when it comes to finding, navigating, and playing content whether you've got a Roku TV or a set-top box. It's a timely update, too: Roku says viewing hours are soaring year-on-year, as we spend more time at home and a greater percentage of that time in front of the TV. That means we often need some help figuring out what to watch.