Add Hitachi America Ltd. to the growing list of TV makers that will offer smart TVs that are powered by Roku’s app and streaming platform.
Hitachi has joined its Roku TV licensing program, and plans to roll out its first Roku-powered 4K and HD TVs this fall. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but Hitachi, they said, will offer Roku TV models in a “variety of screen sizes.”
The deal marks an expansion of Roku’s smart TV strategy. Other partners include TCL, which introduced six 4K-capable Roku TV models in March, Haier America, Sharp, Insignia (Best Buy’s in-house brand), and Hisense. Under a temporary partnership, LG Electronics sold two "entry level" Roku TV HDTV models during at Best Buy during the 2015 holiday season.
Last year was the first full year for the Roku TV licensing program. Roku said more than 40 TV models now support its platform in the U.S., claiming that sales of those products account for 8% of the U.S. smart TV market. This year, it expects more than 60 models to ship in the U.S., with screen sizes ranging from 24 inches to 65 inches.
Roku, whose platform supports more than 3,000 apps and streaming channels, recently crossed 10 million active monthly users.
