Roku Reveal New Streaming Boxes with Airplay and HomeKit

Late last year, streaming box manufacturer Roku, released an update that added AirPlay 2 to many of its 4K streaming products, in addition to adding HomeKit functionality, that exposed the boxes to HomeKit. Now, with the introduction of the latest iteration of the company’s proprietary operating system, Roku OS 10, not only are they introducing new features, but they’re expanding on which products will get HomeKit and AirPlay integration.

This includes many of their 1080p range of streaming products, including the Roku Express and select HD Roku TV models, as well as new products that are due out in May, all of which will also come with the Apple TV+ channel as standard.

The new products due soon are an update to the Roku Soundbar, now called the Roku Streambar Pro, and the new Roku Express 4K+. The former has the streaming functionality built into the soundbar, so not only do you get a 4K streaming box, and HDR10+ support but a fully-fledged soundbar, with an optical output, and is capable of virtual surround sound, as well as the aforementioned AirPlay 2 functionality. The budget-friendly Roku Express 4K+ has no built-in speaker of course, but it’s still capable of both being exposed to HomeKit as a streaming box, and AirPlay 2.

Both new devices are out in mid-May, and will come with the company’s new remote that features a dedicated shortcut button for Apple TV+, which joins the existing buttons for Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu (or Sling in some cases). The Streambar Pro will retail for US$179.99, whilst the Roku Express 4K+ will sell for a much more palatable US$39.99.