Roku and waipu.tv have announced a strategic partnership that will bring the entertainment service to all Roku devices in Germany later this year.
Commenting on the agreement, Markus Härtenstein, CEO of Exaring AG, operator of waipu.tv, said: “Roku is the number 1 TV streaming platform in the USA, Canada and Mexico and has also been available in Germany since the end of last year. We are convinced that Roku will also establish itself very quickly in Europe. Because the company develops products that are strongly focused on customer needs, Roku is the ideal partner for waipu.tv. We expect a significant increase in our user base over time”.
Mirjam Laux, VP international platform at Roku, added: “It is always our goal to offer our users the best possible entertainment choices and with waipu.tv we are adding a large selection of locally relevant linear and catch-up television. In addition, consumers can record TV content and watch it later. We are excited about the opportunities this partnership will bring to both parties”.
Roku says that the agreement is an important signal for the industry. It’s another indication that streaming is becoming the dominant form of TV distribution, and a next step towards independence from cable and satellite transmission routes – especially in view of the coming end of the service charge privilege.
