Roku has announced a software update for existing and new streaming devices and Roku TVs that adds Alexa and Google Assistant support.

Roku OS 9.3 will start to roll out in the "coming weeks" and brings several other new features, alongside smart assistant control.

The voice function within Roku itself has been improved with a more natural recognition engine. It will now understand a selection of media playback controls, enable voice search by movie quotes, and allow you to use more natural phrases, such as "I want to watch...".

There are background changes that improve the speed of boot up times, homescreen responsiveness and faster launch times for many channels.

And the Roku Mobile App has also been enhanced, with new features including a navigation bar to instantly launch your last viewed channels.

However, the headline addition is undoubtedly support for Alexa and Google Assistant, which means you can use your supporting connected speakers or devices to control your Roku stick, box or TV.

You can ask Alexa to launch a channel on Roku, for example. Or Google Assistant to switch to HDMI 2 on living room Roku TV, say.

The update will be available across a vast array of Roku devices - just about every device apart from really old legacy boxes in the US.

Which Roku Streamer Is Best Express Vs Premiere Vs Stick Vs Ultra All The Options Explained image 6
Roku Streaming Stick+

The predecessor to the Streaming Stick 4K, it's a good performer, but slower and lacks Dolby Vision compared to its replacement.