Roku is introducing a new operating system that will offer greater compatibility with Apple products.
The new Roku OS 9.4 includes support for Apple AirPlay and HomeKit as well as a new means to access Roku Channel’s Live TV Channel Guide on Roku TVs.
Roku said it was expecting to deliver Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit capabilities on some of its 4K Roku devices. With AirPlay 2, you can stream, control, and share content directly from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to your Roku device and bring the experience to the big screen. HomeKit allows you to control a Roku device using the Home app and Siri on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, or HomePod.
The Live TV Channel Guide can now be watched directly from the home screen using the new Live TV tile and gives access to 115 free streaming channels.
Also on the way is surround level control for multi-channel audio for Roku audio products with a multi-channel speaker configuration.
Roku OS 9.4 will begin rolling out to select Roku players this month and is expected to roll out to all supported streaming players, including the new Roku Ultra and Roku Streambar, in the next few weeks.