The company is also open-sourcing the operating system that powers its remotes.
Roku will let users play with experimental apps for its home entertainment platform through a new program called Roku Labs. The program is launching with four in-development apps, and unlike other beta programs like Xbox Insider, it can be accessed by any Roku owner through a new Roku Labs tile directly on the Roku home screen.
The new experimental apps include Backdrops Studio, which lets users customize their Roku’s background with art and images; Roku Immerse, a new way to set custom screensavers; Roku Weather, a dedicated weather app; and Roku Stocks, a built-in stock tracker. Roku says users who experiment with the apps will be able to offer feedback and directly influence their future development.
In the coming months, Roku says it will roll out its updated home screen layout to users in Mexico and Brazil, give users the ability to ask for a weather forecast with their voice and update the platform’s search experience with explanations for why content appears in the order it does.
For anyone down to tinker, the company is also open-sourcing Roku LT OS, the operating system used to power its remotes and smart home products. Roku says the development kit will be available for free and it will provide a video training series that can get you up to speed on how to work with it for your own projects.
