Apps & Consumer
Roku launches Labs hub for experimental apps on TV
Roku's new Roku OS update introduces a Labs hub letting US customers try experimental apps, alongside a personalized Home Screen expansion to Mexico and Brazil.
Roku is turning its TVs into a testing ground for its own software. On Thursday, the connected TV device maker unveiled the latest update to Roku OS, introducing a new experience called Roku Labs that lets US customers access experimental apps built by the company. The still-in-development apps are accessible through a new tile on Roku’s Home Screen. Initially, users will see apps for tracking weather and stocks, plus a new game called Roku Dash, in which players fly a UFO across “Roku City” — the neon purple-and-pink city skyline that serves as Roku’s default screensaver, interspersed with pop-culture references and ads.
The additions suggest Roku is stepping up its investment in monetizable first-party apps that keep the company at the center of connected households. Today, the streaming device and TV maker competes with more advanced AI-powered connected TV products from rivals like Google and Amazon, built around their respective Gemini and Alexa+ assistants.
Alongside the update, Roku is expanding its newer, personalized Home Screen to new markets, including Mexico and Brazil, where it will offer region-specific features such as localized content and tailored suggestions. Roku’s Voice assistant will also gain the ability to answer weather-related questions. On the streaming side, Roku will begin offering bundled subscriptions in the US and Mexico that let customers mix and match plans from smaller streaming services such as AMC+, Fox ONE, Hallmark+, Howdy, and Starz. The company said these bundles are usually more affordable than buying each plan separately.
Roku is also open-sourcing the software that powers its Roku remote, called Roku LT OS, a move that could invite outside developers and hardware makers to build their own applications and devices around it.
Why it matters
The personalized Home Screen and bundled-subscription rollout give Roku a stronger commercial foothold in Mexico and Brazil, two of Latin America’s largest streaming markets, just as it works to keep pace with AI-assistant-driven rivals in its home market.