Roku Exits Smart-Home Hardware Business Days After $FOXA Completes $22 Billion Takeover
Roku is winding down sales of its smart-home hardware lineup—including security cameras, video doorbells, light bulbs, and switches—just days after $FOXA completed its roughly $22 billion acquisition of the streaming platform on Nov. 6.
In a statement to Lowpass, a Roku spokesperson said the company is sharpening its focus on its core mission as a leading streaming platform while continuing to provide support and services for existing Roku Smart Home devices. However, Roku has not announced a final sales cutoff date or specified how long existing owners will receive software and security updates, warranty replacements, or paid cloud recording subscriptions—creating uncertainty for customers whose cameras and doorbells rely on ongoing cloud infrastructure.
The wind-down follows four years in the smart-home category after Roku entered the space in 2022, with inventory already largely depleted across major retailers. Home Depot has removed its Roku smart-home listings, Walmart has placed remaining stock on clearance, and Amazon is offering only refurbished units, leaving Lowe’s as the sole major retail chain still carrying limited inventory alongside special offers on Roku’s Indoor Camera 360° and Video Doorbell & Chime on its own online store.
Neither company stated that $FOXA ordered the exit, and Lowpass noted that Roku had been trimming smart-home inventory for months prior to the deal’s close, which coincided with the Justice Department wrapping up its antitrust review. As part of that review, $FOXA committed to carrying non-Fox content on Roku and avoiding search discrimination for at least three years, though those terms apply only to the streaming platform.
The smart-home exit also coincides with the upcoming Dec. 1 retirement of Roku’s popular Aquatic Life screensaver after creator Jim Sachs withdrew the license following the $FOXA takeover. Affected devices will default to Roku City, an ad-supported animated cityscape, prompting more than 3,700 signatures across online petitions urging Roku to preserve the virtual aquarium.
