Roku has added support for yet another voice assistant to its streaming hardware. The company announced support for the Google Assistant just last fall and it has now done the same for Amazon’s Alexa. It will now be possible for Roku users to control their devices using voice commands given to Alexa.
Once the new Roku skill is installed, users will be able to control their Roku streaming devices and Roku TVs with voice commands such as “Alexa, open Netflix on Roku.” The voice commands will allow users to launch apps, pause content, or search for something they want to see.
It will also be possible to turn Roku TVs on and off, adjust the volume, and even change the inputs. It’s pertinent to mention here that users must say “Roku TV” in every command and not just “the TV” for this to work. If an antenna is connected to the Roku TV, voice commands can also be used to tune to specific channels.
With Alexa and Google Assistant having the same consistent functionality with regards to controlling Roku’s hardware, the company mentions that users shouldn’t find that there’s something that one assistant can do which the other can’t. Users will obviously require an Alexa-enabled device like the Amazon Echo to take advantage of this new skill.
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