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Roku OS 11 takes on Apple TV with Photo Streams, voice-enabled keyboard, more

Apple TV competitor, Roku announced today a new operating system update, version 11. This software is set to bring voice-enabled keyboards to a few languages and supported regions, Roku Photo Streams feature, and more.

Roku OS 11 will start to roll out to devices in the coming weeks. This update brings Photo Streams, which the company says it’s the “easiest way to enjoy and share favorite photos.” The same way Apple TV users can take advantage of AirPlay and the Photos app, Roku Photo Streams brings a customizable experience by creating a personalized screensaver using customers’ own photos.

With this function, it will be possible to upload and share Stream with other Roku users. Friends and family can also add their photos to the Stream, creating a shared album.

“At Roku, we are laser-focused on tailoring the streaming and visual experience to fit our customers’ personal preferences,” said Gidon Katz, Senior Vice President Product & Experience at Roku. “We recognize not everyone interacts with their TV in the same way, so we are proud to offer a platform full of choice, while simultaneously providing our users an easy-to-use experience. With Roku OS 11, we’re offering a platform with new personalized updates across search, audio, content discovery along with a new feature that allows our customers to display and even share photo albums through Roku devices.”

Another great feature coming to the US and supported countries is the voice-enabled keyboard’s function now available in Spanish, German, and Portuguese as well.

Roku OS 11 also brings automatic speech clarity and sound modes, A/V Sync, a new “What to Watch” on the home screen menu as well as a Live TV feature, which brings your recently watched live TV content to one place. This also helps you discover the latest in local and national news, sports, movies, and more.

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Last but not least, Roku OS 11 brings a nice update to its mobile app with a more visual experience when searching on the platform.

New visual elements with OS 11 provides additional information about where to stream movies and TV shows, highlighting which channels are streaming the content for free or where it can be streamed within existing subscriptions, allowing everyone to get more out of the channels they are paying for. The new content details on the mobile app also show visual images of the cast and crew to assist with choosing what to watch. 

Roku OS 11 is expected to roll out to supported Roku streaming players, Roku TV models, and peripherals over the coming weeks.

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