Roku says its set-top box is more popular for streaming than Apple TV

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A month ago, Frost & Sullivan Consumer Video Devices Market report singled out Apple’s $99 Apple TV as the most-used set-top box in terms of content streaming. Specifically, the Apple TV claimed the commanding 56 percent share of streaming device sales, more than twice the share of the #2 Roku, which took 26 percent share of sales.

Not content with its ranking, Roku today cited another research to prove its box is the leading streaming platform…

According to a Parks Associates survey of 10,000 U.S. broadband households with streaming media devices, Roku emerged victorious with a 37 percent share versus the Apple TV, which took home the 24 percent share, the poll found.

Parks Associates notes that the percentage of broadband households with streaming-media boxes has doubled since 2011 to fourteen percent share this year. The overall market for connected devices (set-top boxes, smart TVs, gaming consoles and Blu-ray players) is expected to double to 330 million units annually by 2017.

Parks Associates (Streaming Video Media Device Usage Q1 2013)

According to Parks Associates research director Barbara Kraus, consumers are still reluctant to replace their streaming-boxes solely for next-gen game consoles and 4K or ultra-HD TVs.

As a result, streaming video media devices will have a thriving market because they can offer innovations such as streaming video at low prices. Devices such as Roku’s streaming players and Google’s Chromecast will benefit from these market conditions.

Needles to say, Roku was quick to highlight the survey results on its blog, having underscored that the numbers mean that Roku customers “stream more video and music than people who have other streaming devices”.

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The firm touted more than a thousand channels on its platform and “more entertainment choices than any other streaming device” for movies, TV shows, news, sports, music, kids and more.

Indeed, a side-by-side comparison of content choices available on Google’s Chromecast, Apple’s Apple TV and Roku suggests that the Roku platform is the leading platform in terms of content sources available, even though it doesn’t have the YouTube app yet.