Roku could be planning to update its mid-range streamer, the Roku Premiere, introducing new functionality including support for Dolby Vision and Bluetooth.

Roku has a full range of streamers, from the entry-level Express through the US-only Ultra. With the recent launch of the Roku Express 4K, there was immediate overlap with an existing product - the Roku Premiere.

The difference between these two streamers is minor: the newer Express 4K has a more powerful processor and dual-band Wi-Fi, support for HDR10+ and third-party powered ethernet adapters.

As both sit at the same price, the older Premiere really has little to offer in the line-up, so it's prime for replacement.

Thanks to Roku's own website, we found additional new features listed for the Roku Premiere that aren't offered by the current model. The listing clearly says: "New! Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and Bluetooth."

Is Roku planning to update the Roku Premiere with Dolby Vision and Bluetooth? photo 3
Pocket-lint

While Dolby Atmos via passthrough was supported on the previous Premiere, Bluetooth and Dolby Vision support are new. In fact, those are only offered on the Roku Ultra.

At first we considered that Roku might have just mixed up the information for the Premiere and the Ultra, but the bullet points aren't all the same and are in a different order, so it's not just duplication. The Roku Premiere also originally sold in orange packaging, but the listing is now purple like the rest of the range.

Also, we found this information on the UK website and the Roku Ultra isn't available in the UK. Since raising this with Roku the information has been removed: indeed, the Roku Premiere is no longer listed on the product pages of Roku's website, although you can still find it via a Google search.

What this potentially points to is a step-up for the Premiere, creating that feature gap between it and the Express - and boosting Roku's compact streaming box in the process.

That also begs the question of the future of Roku's oldest device - the Streaming Stick+ - which also doesn't support Dolby Vision. Could that be in for an upgrade too?

The addition of Bluetooth is likely to allow you to connect other devices to the Roku so you can have additional audio sources on your TV - it's unlikely to allow connection of headphones or speakers, which Roku supports via its smartphone app's private listening feature.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

One of the most reliable plug-and-play streaming solutions on the market, the Roku Streaming Stick lets you pipe 4K entertainment from dozens of services to any HDMI-compatible set. With Dolby Vision support and a voice-controlled remote, it's a great way to take your media from display to display.