Roku to expand US footprint with Sharp partnership

Roku has expanded its TV business via a partnership with Sharp in the US.

The deal will see Sharp leverage the Roku TV hardware reference design and Roku OS to launch a number of HD and 4K TV models in 2022.

Roku said that the Sharp Roku TV models will come integrated with Roku OS, offering a customisable home screen, compatibility with the three major voice ecosystems and access to thousands of channels including over 200 live TV channels.

More details will be revealed “in the coming months.”

According to the NPD Group, the Roku OS was the number one smart TV OS sold in the US in 2021.

For Sharp, this partnership will see the TV maker rejoin the US market after a six-year absence. The TVs will be produced in a Mexican plant run by Sharp parent company Foxconn.

Mustafa Ozgen, GM and SVP of account acquisitions, Roku, said: “Sharp, like Roku, is an award-winning, household known brand and we look forward to a productive partnership together in the US. We both firmly believe that the power and ease of use of Roku TV, combined with the Sharp brand promise of ‘simply better living’ makes an appealing combination for customers looking for a great TV experience.”

Jim Sanduski, president of Sharp Home Electronics Company of America, said: “We are excited to collaborate with Roku and equip our new HD and 4K UHD TVs with their award-winning Operating System. Pairing our long-standing heritage in display technology with Roku’s best-in-class, easy-to-use interface is a winning combination for our consumers.”

Roku has also announced that it has expanded its Roku TV licensing programme in Mexico to ten brands, adding Aiwa and HKPRO.