(Credit: Roku)
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Roku has announced a series of new software features, with AI capabilities for its voice assistant being the biggest highlight.
Once the updates roll out in the next few months, you can ask the assistant questions about movies, shows, or actors you plan to catch up on. Ask "What's Barbie about?" or "How scary is The Shining?" and the assistant will display its text response on your TV screen.
(Credit: Roku)Roku is also introducing a few updates to make it easier to find streaming services. For trailer playbacks, it will show corresponding streamers under a new button called "Ways to watch." And on the "What to Watch" tab, it will display up to two streaming platforms under each tile, tailored to match your active subscriptions.
(Credit: Roku)Similar upgrades are coming to Roku Sports. As you swipe through game tiles, you'll see live scores. If you tap on a tile for an upcoming game, you'll also see the option to set a reminder.
If you decide to stay up late for the game, you can use the new Bluetooth Headphone Mode for private listening. This feature can also be used to watch shows or listen to music without disturbing anyone nearby, and it will be rolling out globally for the Roku Streaming Stick and the Streaming Stick Plus.
(Credit: Roku)Live TV Zone and Live TV Channel Guide, on the other hand, will get a Search bar for easier navigation.
Meanwhile, on the mobile app, shortcuts for Closed Captions, Find My Remote, Sleep Timer, Daily Trivia, and more will appear on the My Roku page. Additionally, as you browse through titles, you'll find buttons to Like, Dislike, or mark a title as Watched.
Roku is also working on improving recommendations. You'll soon come across an interface with multiple options for TV shows, movies, and sports teams. You can give a thumbs up to your favorites, and Roku will curate its recommendations accordingly. This experience is similar to what you see on music streaming platforms.
Roku says the updates will roll out "in the coming months." They arrive as more TV and streaming device makers begin integrating AI into their products. Samsung, for example, has integrated Copilot AI into some of its new TVs, while DirecTV plans to show AI-powered ads as screensavers next year.