In case you've been chosen for this free Roku improve, I am jealous

Abstract

The brand new Roku OS homepage design that Roku is at present testing features a “Fast Entry” part that remembers your favourite apps.
One function Fast Entry is lacking is the flexibility to customise it, by including or eradicating apps, and Roku is conscious of this and contemplating options.
Roku additionally up to date the house button. Once you press it, you may be taken to the grid of choices on the homepage now, moderately than the sidebar on the left-hand aspect of the display.

Roku has had a busy few weeks. It lately launched two brand-new streaming devices, the Roku Streaming Stick and the Roku Streaming Stick Plus, and introduced its 2025 lineup of TVs. Now, with its new merchandise out, Roku is experimenting with its person interface.

To make it simpler for customers to search out the content material they watch essentially the most, and uncover new content material alongside the best way, Roku has begun testing a new user interface design for its homepage on Roku OS.

Notably, the spotlight of the adjustments Roku is making is the brand new “Fast Entry” part on its homepage, which permits customers to shortly entry their most often used streaming apps, resembling Netflix and Disney+. Roku is at present launching its new take a look at to a restricted group of customers.

“We’re at all times trying to make the Roku expertise simply higher, extra intuitive, extra participating, and much more personalised,” stated Preston Smalley, Roku’s VP of viewer product, talking to The Verge. “What we wish to do is guarantee that the house display expertise matches effectively with simply the way you watch TV as we speak.”

Model: Roku
Dimensions: 3.7 x 0.80 x .45 inches
Connectivity: HDMI
Weight Capability: 26g

A slim plug and play streaming stick that features 4K/HDR help and features a voice distant.

Roku Select Series 2025 Cardboard Mounting Guide promotional image

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Roku is making an attempt to make its homepage extra handy

Fast Entry is at present lacking one useful function

Roku / The Verge / Pocket-lint

The brand new Fast Entry part on Roku’s homepage sounds fairly useful, and I like the way it robotically learns primarily based in your streaming habits. So, when you watch a whole lot of Netflix or Prime Video, these apps will robotically be populated in that part, so you may simply entry them sooner or later. In case you watch a whole lot of sports activities content material or dwell TV, suggestions for that sort of content material may even pop up within the Fast Entry part.

Nonetheless, one function at present lacking from Fast Entry is the flexibility to customise it, so if you wish to add or take away an app, you may’t accomplish that right now. Nonetheless, as The Verge notes, Roku is conscious of this and is “making an attempt some totally different approaches” to deal with it.

“One of many issues we all know that is going to be actually necessary is that it simply must work proper out of the field,” Smalley defined. “We’re positively making an attempt to see how a lot management individuals need, however that is one thing we wish to hear from prospects on.”

Personally, I hope Roku finds a method to repair this as a result of I like the concept of the Fast Entry panel. Nonetheless, being able to customise it or pin sure apps to it could be significantly better, particularly since Roku has additionally modified how the house button operates with this replace.

Roku / The Verge / Pocket-lint

That is proper, together with this new UI change, Roku has additionally modified how the house button works. On this take a look at, while you press the house button in your distant, it’ll now ship you on to the grid of choices on the homepage, moderately than opening the sidebar on the left-hand aspect of the display. Within the present take a look at, the sidebar stays collapsed till the person opens it by making an attempt to navigate to it.

…I like what I see, and I hope Roku will implement these adjustments for all customers shortly, alongside a customization possibility for its new Fast Entry part.

Moreover, Roku has moved two choices from the left-hand sidebar to the homepage, notably its “Stay TV” and “Featured Free” sections, to make them extra seen and accessible to customers searching the homepage. Roku has additionally added two new options to the homepage: a “Subscriptions” part, the place you will discover all of the streaming companies you pay for, and a “For You” part, which is a redesigned model of Roku’s “What to Watch” possibility that gives personalised suggestions for exhibits and films.

Roku’s new person interface is at present being rolled out in a restricted take a look at to customers. It is doable issues may change with the UI earlier than a broader rollout is made. Up to now, I like what I see, and I hope Roku will implement these adjustments for all customers shortly, alongside a customization possibility for its new Fast Entry part. Roku’s new streaming sticks and 2025 lineup of TVs is obtainable now.