Roku just launched its first rechargeable remote control, priced at $30, that will let you track it down if you’ve lost it by simply saying “Hey Roku, find my remote.”
The remote has a battery life of about two months in a single charge, according to Roku, and works with any standard MicroUSB charger. If you lose the remote, you can say “Hey Roku, where’s my remote?” or use the free Roku mobile app for iOS and Android — and the remote will issue a little chime so you can locate it.
In the U.S., the Roku Voice Remote Pro has dedicated buttons for Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu and Apple TV Plus. (Previous versions of its remotes have included buttons for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and Sling TV.)
The Roku Voice Remote Pro also has a hands-free mode, to let you issue voice commands to turn the TV on, adjust the volume, control playback and more.
The Roku Voice Remote Pro works with all of the company’s players and Roku TV models dating back to 2017. It’s available to order from roku.com today and will be coming to major retailers in May.
The company announced the new rechargeable remote as part of its spring 2021 product-lineup refresh, which also includes the new Roku Express 4K Plus and Roku OS 10, the latest version of the platform’s operating system.
Roku Express 4K Plus ($39.99 list price in the U.S.) provides 4K and HDR, HDR10 and HDR10+ support, as well as dual-band Wi-Fi and additional storage for quicker channel start times. It also includes microUSB Ethernet compatibility for optional wired internet connectivity. The Roku Express 4K Plus will be available online and at retailers across the U.S. in mid-May.
In addition, Roku is rolling out Roku Express 4K, a $35 device available exclusively at Walmart exclusively in the U.S. and featuring a basic remote. The device will also be available in Canada and Mexico in the coming weeks.
Another new product is the Roku Streambar Pro ($179.99), which features integrated 4K streaming and cinematic sound and now includes a Roku Voice Remote with personal shortcut buttons and private listening, headphones and a new Virtual Surround feature (available in Roku OS 10) that replicates a surround-sound experience. It will be available on roku.com at the end of May and at major retailers in June.
Major features of Roku OS 10, which has begun rolling out to select Roku players and will be coming to all supported devices soon, include:
Support for Apple AirPlay 2 and Apple HomeKit on HD-only Roku streaming devices, such as the Roku Express and select HD Roku TV models, in addition to Roku’s 4K devices.
Instant resume, a feature that lets users pick up what they were watching on supported channels faster. Initially, instant resume will be supported on channels including AT&T TV, FilmRise, Fox Business Network, Fox News Channel, Fubo Sports Network, HappyKids TV, Plex.tv, Starz and The Roku Channel.
Customizing live TV channel Guide (U.S. only), to let users hide individual channels from view and add channels to a favorites list for a custom guide view.
Automatic Wi-Fi network detection, which notifies Roku users of the optimal wireless network band to connect to in their homes.
Automatic game console configuration: When a supported game console is connected to an HDMI port on a Roku TV, the input tile on the user’s Roku home screen will automatically change to the game console icon for easy identification so users can jump right into gaming.
