Roku OS 9.3 updates search and voice control functions

Roku said its new OS 9.3 update will begin rolling out over the next few weeks, and will bring improvements to search and voice control functions.

Roku Voice search results will now be more visual and categorized into rows including relevant movies, shows and short-form entertainment. The company promised that search results are unbiased and selected content will offer a list of channels featuring that title, sorted by price.

The company also said that more than 50 streaming channels now support direct playback from search when using Roku Voice by directly playing the show or movie when possible, rather than displaying search results.

Roku is also adding support in the U.S. and Mexico for Spanish-language commands to launch channels, search for titles, actors, or genres, as well as control media playback on their Roku device. The company is also rolling out Roku Voice support in Canada, Ireland and the U.K., and Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant support in Canada, Mexico and the U.K.

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“The Roku OS continues to get better with a specific focus on delivering strong performance, especially on older devices, new and more ways to find content, and unique features to our customers,” said Ilya Asnis, senior vice president of Roku OS at Roku, in a statement. “With Roku OS 9.3, we’re adding new functionality to Roku Voice in multiple regions around the globe with the primary goal of delighting our users in their day-to-day use of our devices.”

The new Roku OS update will also make customization options for home screen wallpapers and screensavers available from a single themed menu in settings, and reduce device boot times for faster launches.

Roku OS 9.3 will begin rolling out to select Roku players next month, and is expected to roll out to all supported streaming players, including the Roku Smart Soundbar, in the coming weeks. Roku TV models are expected to receive the update in phases over the coming months.