Apple VS Roku Best Streaming Device for 2018

Best media streaming devices for Cable Cutters

It's been another great year for media streaming. Hardware manufacturers have been paying attention to the current cable cutting trend and have released some exceptional products to make streaming media easier and better than ever.

The last few years have brought us some powerful and amazing streaming devices that makes it easy for all family members to stream content from many internet channels and online sources.

When it comes to streaming, Apple and Roku are two companies that have had the most influence over how consumers are getting and watching their television content from the internet. Apple jumped on the streaming bandwagon early on by allowing consumers to purchase and watch content from their iTunes store.

Roku unlike Apple who restricted what could be done with their Apple TVs, instead opened up their Roku platform giving free access to developers to create their own public and private Roku channels. The Roku channel store literally exploded from a few hundred channels to over a five thousand currently in the U.S. and unfortunately for Great Britain and Canada they don't have near as many.

While Roku is the clear champion when it comes to content, Apple recently began adding more content providers to their streamer. The Apple TV does have one of the nicest, easy to use interface that is unsurpassed and with their recently released 4K streamer it is now just as powerful as the NVIDIA SHIELD. This will continue to make the Apple TV a popular media streamer for Apple fans.

Most cable cutters end up subscribing to a low cost streaming content provider like Netflix or Hulu Plus. Since both Roku and Apple TV now have this option available, and Amazon just joined the Apple TV platform it further closes the gap between these two media streamers.

The 2018 NVIDIA SHIELD Threat

In the 2018 it will be the SHIELD that will continue to be Apple's biggest threat.

The greater threat to Roku and Apple's market share in 2018 could well come from a new more powerful SHIELD. Rumors have been circulating already that NVIDIA may release a new model in 2018. Since they continue to run KODI where the Apple TV and Roku does not, this makes the SHIELD an even more popular alternative for the Android TV crowd.

Apple or Roku This Years Top Streaming Device

If your the fence wondering which streamer to get it may depend on how you get your media content. If you love purchasing and collecting movies and songs through iTunes an Apple TV is a great choice. If you like to stream from various internet sources and play your own downloaded media, an Android based streamer or Western Digital media player may make more sense.

Netflix, Hulu Plus and Amazon is where most households stream much of their media content from. The Apple TV now has an app for Amazon Video which is really good news for Prime members who can watch original Amazon shows and other movies on their Apple TV now.

We owned both a Roku and prior Apple TV. The Roku is used as a daily streamer and the Apple TV was mostly unused in a spare bedroom for guests. Roku was our top choice simply because when it came to streaming media, their simple interface and huge collection of free channels made Roku the clear winner. Now that Apple has opened up their Apple TV platform to many more developers, we are liking the new 4K Apple TV more and more.

We are excited to see increased competition in the media streaming device market. This will help keep prices affordable and spur further innovation and growth. A big plus for consumers as this niche industry keeps becoming more and more the mainstream and cable TV subscribers finally become a minority in 2018.

Related Information

2018 Roku Private Channel List

Best Apple TV Channels