4 new ways Roku is making it easier to find your next binge

Summary

Roku is rolling out an automatic update in the coming weeks which will add several new features to Roku OS.
New ‘Top 10’ rows are being added, which will highlight the top 10 shows and top 10 movies users are watching on the platform.
Roku is also introducing an ‘In Theaters’ row, to highlight movies currently playing in theaters, and a new Surf Mode.

Roku has been on a roll this year. At the start of the year, it rolled out an update that made watching Live TV even easier. Then, in April, it released two brand-new streaming sticks, the Roku Streaming Stick and the Roku Streaming Stick Plus. And of course, it has sprinkled in some free channel updates in between.

Now, Roku has announced several quality-of-life improvements coming to Roku OS in a new automatic update rolling out soon, which the company says is designed to make “summer streaming even easier and more enjoyable.”

To start, Roku is introducing “Top 10” rows, which will showcase the top 10 TV shows and top 10 movies that users are watching on the platform. So if you’re curious to see what others are watching, this will be an easy way to find out. You’ll be able to find these new Top 10 rows under the New & Popular section and under Movies and TV on Roku OS.

Roku just added 17 free channels to its growing lineup

The Roku Channel continues to expand, with 17 new free channels being added.

Roku is introducing a new ‘In Theaters’ row and Surf Mode

The Live TV Channel Guide is also getting a ‘Newly Added’ section

Additionally, Roku has several other useful features coming with this update, such as the new “In Theaters” row being added to the New & Popular section on Roku OS. It will showcase movies currently in theaters, allowing users to watch trailers and add favorites to their Save List so they can watch them when they become available on Roku.

Next, Roku is introducing Surf Mode with this update, a feed of short clips from shows and movies available on the Roku Channel. If you find a clip interesting, you can click on it to learn more about the show or movie. The more shows and movies you watch on Roku, the more tailored your Surf Mode feed will become to your interests. This feature instantly reminds me of YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.

“These curated previews, powered by machine learning, spotlight the full-length shows and movies that are available to stream, so if something grabs your attention, you’re just a click away,” Roku said in a press release.

Finally, Roku has one more new feature coming with this update to make it easier to find the latest free live TV channels added to the Roku Channel. Under the Live TV Channel Guide, you’ll find a new section called “Newly Added,” which highlights the newest free channels added to the platform.

Roku says its latest update, with all these new features, will be rolling out to users over “the coming weeks.” To check for updates on your Roku device, go to Settings > System > System Update > Check Now.