Check Your Roku For This Update - It Could Fix A Huge Frustration

Roku users have seen a spate of recent updates that improve the overall streaming and navigation experience, as well as some new features. For example, Roku finally added cloud DVR support in one of the newest updates. In February, Roku also began testing a new home screen layout. In the same vein, Roku released Roku OS 15.2, aiming to improve the experience some more, but it's primarily focused on developers creating content for the platform, specifically apps and services. But these changes will have a snowball effect, significantly changing some of the most frustrating aspects of Roku's ecosystem.

The tangible benefits of the update will become more apparent and more prevalent as developers take advantage of the new advancements. Roku's Perfetto-based app tracing tool has been upgraded, allowing developers to "visualize the BrightScript heap graph to inform [them] which SceneGraph and BrightScript objects consume the most memory. " It also expands the BrightScript APIs with low-memory event notifications, remote control-related information, and supports AES-GCM encryption ciphers.

The updated information monitors will allow developers to see which app processes are using more system resources, like memory, so they can reduce and optimize to create leaner services. That should effectively translate into smoother navigation, faster app launches, more stable video playback, and fewer app crashes, as well. Major frustrations while using Roku devices stem from intermittent freezes, slow navigation when moving between menus, and delayed reactions leading to repeat and unnecessary button presses. These performance changes should help fix a lot of that.

Roku rolls out its updates gradually over the span of several weeks to compatible Roku devices, so you can see these updates live on your device anywhere between now and June. Roku does this with stability and performance improvements introduced between to ensure the entire process goes smoothly. Not to mention, the Roku device ecosystem is diverse, spanning actual streaming sticks and media players to built-in TV hardware. Not everyone will receive the updates at the same time.

More importantly, because Roku OS 15.2 has a lot of backend changes meant for developers, it will also depend on when the apps update and take advantage of the new technologies. To check which version of the Roku OS your device is running, navigate to Settings > System > About, and you'll see the version number listed next to Software version. You can also see the hardware ID and model there to identify which Roku device you have, if you aren't sure.

You can also navigate to Settings > System > Software Update to check for available updates. If you don't have the 15.2 update yet, don't fret; the previous release, 15.1, added some new Roku TV features to help better organize your home screen, along with a host of other improvements. Roku seems to be getting better and better.