After years of following a numerical naming scheme it looks like Roku is set to shake things up with a new line of boxes that are also set to add HDR.
There are three boxes coming, according to a set of leaked images acquired by Zatz Not Funny. The entry level Roku Express (and Express Plus), the Roku Premiere (and Premier Plus), and the flagship Roku Ultra, which is rumored to be the first Roku box to offer HDR.
Without an official announcement from Roku we don’t have any firm details on how the boxes will differ, but comparing them with Roku’s existing line-up gives us some clues as to the functionality they may offer.
Different strokes
The Roku 1 currently features a basic processor and a single USB power and HDMI port (for 1080p rather than 4K content), and so it’s reasonable to assume the Express will continue this trend. What’s less clear is how the Express will differ from the Express Plus.
Meanwhile the difference between the Premier and Premier Plus is allegedly the inclusion of an Ethernet and microSD card slot on the Plus model. Since the Premier line is set to replace the Roku 2 and 3 in the lineup it’s not yet clear whether the new model will adopt the 4K resolution of the current flagship Roku 4.
The Roku Premier marks a change from the Roku 2 and 3 in terms of its adoption of the larger form factor of the Roku 4.
Finally the Roku Ultra is the flagship streaming box. It features HDR, an optical audio out port, and a remote control finder, and is also rumored to be the only Roku model with the ability to access local media via USB. We would also expect the Ultra to feature full support for 4K.
No word yet on pricing and availability, but the extent of these leaks suggest that we’ll be seeing an official announcement soon.
Source: techradar.com