Horowitz says Roku leads streaming platform use as Fox acquisition shines light on CTV

Horowitz Research says Roku is the most widely used streaming platform among U.S. consumers, even as rivals score better on several user-experience measures. The findings land as Fox’s planned acquisition of Roku draws fresh attention to the value of streaming platforms in connected TV.

Why it matters: - Roku’s scale helps define where streaming audiences are spending time inside connected TV. - Fox’s planned acquisition of Roku highlights how valuable streaming platform control has become in the connected TV ecosystem. - Horowitz Research says the shift matters because consumers are expected to become more selective about smart TV interfaces, similar to how they choose mobile devices.

What happened: - Horowitz Research released findings from its State of Media, Entertainment, and Tech: State of Subscription’s 2026 report. - The report says Roku is the most commonly used streaming platform among U.S. consumers. - Nearly four in 10 U.S. streaming platform users choose Roku. - Amazon Fire TV and Samsung’s Smart Hub are each used by almost one in three streamers.

The details: - Amazon Fire TV ranks ahead of Roku on ease of finding content, lagging time, casting to screens, and ad experience. - Samsung outperforms Roku on Wi-Fi connectivity and reliability. - Amazon Fire TV and Samsung both rank ahead of Roku on start-up speed and smart home integration. - Google TV and Apple TV have lower penetration in streaming households, but both score better than Roku on key attributes. - Adriana Waterston, EVP of Insights and Strategy at Horowitz Research, said Roku will need to improve its interface and personalization to keep its lead with Gen Z and younger consumers. - Waterston also said Roku’s new Ad Manager could help smaller businesses access hyper-local TV ads. - Waterston warned that a heavier ad load could overwhelm the Roku viewing experience and alienate younger viewers with low tolerance for advertising. - The study tracks pay TV, streaming, home internet, mobile, and smart home markets. - The study examines consumer adoption, satisfaction, bundling behavior, and future intentions across MVPDs, vMVPDs, SVOD services, home internet providers, mobile plans, smart TV operating systems, streaming devices, and connected home technologies. - The report looks at how consumers choose, bundle, retain, upgrade, downgrade, and cancel services. - The study is positioned as a resource for telecom providers, mobile operators, platforms, OEMs, programmers, advertisers, and technology companies. - Horowitz Research says it helps content providers identify programming and advertising opportunities and offers syndicated studies on media industry changes. - The report is available at More information. - Interested buyers can contact Adriana Waterston at adrianaw@horowitzresearch.com to purchase the report, schedule an interview with an analyst, or request specific data. - Horowitz Research says more information about its broader research business is available at www.horowitzresearch.com.

Between the lines: - Roku’s lead in usage does not mean it leads on user experience. - The findings suggest platform scale and platform satisfaction are becoming separate competitive battles. - Fox’s interest in Roku points to the value of audience access, while Horowitz’s data points to the risk that younger users may reward better interfaces and fewer ad frustrations.

What's next: - Roku’s competitive position will depend on whether it can pair broad reach with stronger performance on navigation, reliability, and personalization. - The new Ad Manager could expand Roku’s appeal to smaller advertisers if it does not damage the viewing experience. - As smart TV interfaces mature, platform competition is likely to shift further toward usability, ad load, and device-level loyalty.

The bottom line: - Roku leads on usage, but rivals are stronger on several experience metrics, and that gap could shape the next phase of streaming competition.