[June 29, 2016] |
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Roku Inks Licensing Deal With Hitachi America, Ltd. to Develop Smart TVs
Roku,
Inc. today announced that Hitachi (News - Alert) America, Ltd., a subsidiary of
Hitachi, Ltd., is the newest brand to join the Roku TV™ licensing
program. Hitachi will take advantage of Roku's low-cost TV reference
design to build superior smart TVs that run the Roku® OS and give
consumers the best streaming experience in the industry. Consumers will
be able to purchase both HD and 4K Ultra HD Hitachi Roku TV models in a
variety of screen sizes this fall.
"Roku offers us everything we need in a smart TV solution - a
cost-effective way to produce great TVs that run a powerful operating
system, access to a compelling streaming channel store and software
features that make it easy for consumers to find and discover
entertainment," said Bill Whalen, Director for Hitachi. "We couldn't be
more excited for the launch of Hitachi Roku TV this fall."
"Hitachi has an exceptional history of product innovation and quality
and is committed to providing outstanding consumer experiences," said
Chas Smith, general manager for Roku TV. "We're thrilled to be working
with Hitachi on the launch of Hitachi Roku TV."
Roku offers TV brands a licensing program with a cost-effective
reference design that combines the benefits of the Roku streaming
platform along with TV functionality to create a superior smart TV
experience. This program allows TV brands to cost-effectively build and
sell HD and 4K UHD smart TVs that are popular among retailers and
consumers. In 2015, the first full year of the program, Roku TV
experienced tremendous growth with more than 40 models available in the
U.S. and sales accounting for 8% of the U.S. smart TV market. In 2016
more than 60 models are expected to ship in the U.S. from six brands
including Hitachi this fall. Roku TV models are offered in HD and 4K UHD
resolution with screen sizes ranging from 24 to 65 inches.
b>A Simple Smart TV That Consumers Love to Use
Roku TV models feature vivid picture quality and smart and simple
features that make watching TV fun. The home screen of the TV can be
personalized with icons for users' favorite entertainment choices,
including devices such as game consoles, cable boxes and Blu-ray
players, together with preferred streaming channels. Consumers can
choose from 3,000 streaming channels including 350,000 movies and TV
episodes here in the U.S. Roku TV offers powerful search and discovery
features that can save time and money. Roku search provides an unbiased
look across 50 streaming channels to find movies, TV shows, actors, and
directors. Search results are ranked by price, showing where movies and
TV shows are free or cheapest to watch. Consumers can search with the
included remote control or by voice with the free Roku mobile app for
iOS® and Android (News - Alert)™ devices.
About Hitachi America, Ltd.
Hitachi America, Ltd. headquartered in Tarrytown, New York, a subsidiary
of Hitachi, Ltd., and its subsidiary companies offer a broad range of
electronics, power and industrial equipment and services, particle beam
therapy technologies, automotive products and consumer electronics with
operations throughout the Americas. For more information, visit www.hitachi-america.us.
For information on other Hitachi Group companies in the United States,
please visit www.hitachi.us.
About Hitachi, Ltd.
Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, delivers
innovations that answer society's challenges. The company's consolidated
revenues for fiscal 2015 (ended March 31, 2016) totaled 10,034.3 billion
yen ($88.8 billion). The Hitachi Group is a global leader in the Social
Innovation Business, and it has approximately 335,000 employees
worldwide. Through collaborative creation, Hitachi is providing
solutions to customers in a broad range of sectors, including Power /
Energy, Industry / Distribution / Water, Urban Development, and Finance
/ Government & Public / Healthcare. For more information on Hitachi,
please visit the company's website at http://www.hitachi.com.
About Roku, Inc.
Roku is the creator of a popular streaming platform for delivering
entertainment to the TV. Roku streaming players and the Roku Streaming
Stick are sold through major retailers in North America, the U.K., the
Republic of Ireland and France. Roku licenses a reference design and
operating system to TV manufacturers to create co-branded Roku TV
models. Under the Roku Powered™ program, Roku licenses its
streaming platform to pay TV providers around the world who want to use
the Internet to deliver entertainment services through streaming
players. The company was founded by Anthony Wood, inventor of the DVR.
Roku is privately held and headquartered in Los Gatos, Calif., U.S.
Roku is a registered trademark and Roku TV is a trademark of Roku, Inc.
in the U.S. and in other countries.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160629005541/en/
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