With the latest OS 11.5, Roku is bringing a bunch of improvements to its customers not just to the home screen menu, but also to audio, voice and content discovery aspects of the service. Also, the Roku mobile app is getting some love too, although these are quite minimal in comparison with everything else.
That said, the most important changes in Roku OS 11.5 are the addition of an expanded platform-wide Save List, a Continue Watching feature, and a brand-new content discover experience called The Buzz. The latter is being implemented directly on the Roku home screen to make entertainment discovery quick and painful.
The Buzz provides a quick glance at various collection of posts featuring trailers, interviews, and video clips from your favorite streaming channels. You can even like posts, follow channels and save content to stream later.
A new “Continue Watching” feature makes it easier to resume streaming movies and shows. It supports various channels including Netflix, HBO Max, Paramount+, and The Roku Channel, and it can be found within “What to Watch” on the Roku home screen menu.
Probably one of the most-requested features by the community, the option to save movies and shows across channels on your Roku device has finally arrived. Save List is a new feature that allows users to save movies and shows with a press of a button. You’ll find the new feature within “What to Watch” on the Roku home screen menu as well as the Roku mobile app.
The update also expands Bluetooth Private Listening and Roku Voice capabilities. Basically, you’ll be able to pair wireless headphones from the Sound Settings menu to listen to streaming content. The new feature is compatible with the newest Roku Ultra, Roku Streambar, and Roku Streambar Pro. Additionally, when using Roku voice remote, channels relevant to your search will display onscreen.
Finally, the Roku mobile app received some tweaks too. For example, a dedicated Live TV Channel Guide button is now available on the mobile app remote. The new guide button should make it easier to find live TV channels, browse live content, and search new Categories.
