Roku Leads Streaming Player Market

Roku is the leading streaming media player in the U.S., followed by Amazon, according to a new study from Parks Associates.

Per Parks’ Tech Ecosystem Dashboard, a survey of 8,000 internet households, 43 percent of streaming media player owners report using Roku the most often, with Amazon-branded players at 35 percent.

“Historically, Amazon and Roku have dominated the streaming media player market, and our research shows their dominance continues,” said Sarah Lee, research analyst at Parks Associates. “Other competitors such as Apple and Google have held on to their respective shares but do not show much growth as of yet.”

According to Parks, 46 percent of U.S. homes own at least one streaming media player, as compared with 68 percent for smart TVs. Among internet households that own at least one internet-connected entertainment device, 56 percent consider the smart TV as the primary device for consuming video, with streaming media players at 34 percent.

“Today, smart TVs are much more affordable, as are streaming media players,” Lee said. “These devices offer consumers cost-effective solutions as well as an ecosystem-consistent experience.”