Roku, which sells the eponymous set-top box that brings streaming video and apps to TVs, was founded in 2002. But it rose to prominence only in the past several years, as consumer appetite for streaming video has grown. The average time consumers spend per day using set-top boxes increased to 36 minutes this year from 26 minutes in 2010, according to eMarketer. Roku reports even higher usage among its base. Mr. Anderson said time spent streaming on Roku is up 84% in the past year, with the average user spending 13 hours per week on the device.
Amid that growth, Roku has become the U.S. market leader. A study released in August by market research firm Parks Associates found that Roku was the most popular streaming device among U.S. households that owned one. Thirty-seven percent of respondents said they used Roku, while Apple's competing device, Apple TV, ranked as the second most popular at 24%.
From the article, "First Roku CMO Aims to Keep Message Simple in Critical Year" by John McDermott.
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