Roku CEO: Sales doubled when Apple TV launched

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When Apple first announced that it would be issuing a refreshed version of Apple TV, several analysts and bloggers assumed set top boxes like Roku’s offering would be in trouble. According to Roku CEO Anthony Wood, however, the reality is just the opposite. The new Apple TV received a warm reception at launch, having sold 250,000 units during its first six weeks of availability. But Apple has been quiet about the product since its earnings call, and talk of the device has all but disappeared from the mainstream media. On the other hand, Roku’s sales doubled when the new Apple TV launched, Wood told Business Insider. Sales have also doubled year-over-year for the company, and Roku will sell its millionth box before the end of this month. Roku currently holds the No. 11 and No. 12 spots on Amazon’s list of best-selling electronics, and Amazon accounts for just 25% of Roku’s sales according to Wood. The company is also working on licensing deals that will bring in revenue from new channels as partner manufacturers build boxes based on the Roku platofrm. Roku projects $100 million in revenue in 2011, following over $50 million in sales this year.

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17 Comments
  • http://twitter.com/ltamake Link Tamake

    Roku sucks.

    • Anonymous

      If being a best seller on the top online retail site sucks then what are you?

      • http://twitter.com/ltamake Link Tamake

        I’m Hank Hill.

    • Anonymous

      TrolololololApplefanboylolololol

    • http://twitter.com/captobie Carl Obermeier

      I wouldn’t say it sucks, but I’ve definitely felt a bit ‘underwhelmed’ about mine.

      What does suck is Roku’s customer service. The day after I bought my Roku they announced the 30 day free trial for Hulu Plus. So I contacted Customer Service, and after about 30 mins with a rep they said yes, they would honor the 30 day trial. A line manager was going to e-mail me a promo code within 3 working days. That was three weeks ago, and several e-mail back and forths with them. I’m coming up on 30 days soon, I’m considering returning it and trying Apple TV.

  • Anonymous

    The friggin moon is orange right now… who gives a shit about Roku?

    • Anonymous

      Mmmm orange moon

    • Anonymous

      Yea one of the best eclipses of all time and we have the worst rain storm in 10 years… Oh well So Cal has the best weather 99.9% of the time

  • http://twitter.com/notovny Budgerigar Commissar

    Sounds about right. Roku dropped the prices on their lower-end boxes significantly the week of the Apple announcement. I’d been considering buying one for awhile, and bought mine the day of the announcement, once it was clear that the Apple TV wasn’t going to provide much more capability that I saw myself using, and wouldn’t have worked with the TVs I’d wound up hooking the Roku to, anyway.

  • http://twitter.com/netposer Rob Baker

    Was going to get a Roku but opted for a Vizio Blu Ray player with WiFi for about the same price as the top of the like Roku. I already have a WD HD Live that I use to watch movies over my LAN.

    Now I can watch Blu-Ray, Netflix, Vudu, And with the WD HD Live I can watch my ripped Blu Ray movies.

  • David

    I’ve got a couple of internet capable Sony Blu-ray players, a PS3, a Wii, and Windows Media Center on a PC. Can someone (this is a serious question) explain what the Roku does, that I can’t already do with the devices I’ve listed. thanks!

    • Carl

      The short answer is, ‘nothing’.

    • Albokay

      It can get someone who can’t afford or hook up all that stuff an easy way to get some more video options.

  • Snooze96zz

    very poor foreign service / support.
    apple is more expensive but offers a better product and user experience. that’s life! you get what you pay for.

    • Guest

      Aren’t they both $99?

  • Jjredick

    i have both apple tv and roku. both are great. its too bad though that netflix online streaming selection is awful.

  • One Two

    OK,
    home web site says nothing about which video and audio formats this thing supports for USB playback.
    Reviews found on the internet are quite negative about this.
    Anybody to share experience?

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