Rdio announced a tighter integration with the Roku set-top box. Roku remote controls in the U.S. will add a shortcut button for the music service for direct access to the app. The Rdio channel has also be redesigned with improved navigation, and it will appear by default in the “My Channels” section of the navigation menu. As a final perk, Rdio is giving away two months of the Rdio Unlimited subscription for free with the purchase and activation of a new Roku player or Roku TV.
This is a great boost for Rdio on the Roku platform, but many music companies have been scrambling to get their services linked up with similar streaming hardware. Chromecast has received much attention from music streaming, while the Amazon Fire TV dongle now touts Prime Music availability. Recent data from Edison Research’s Share of Ear study showed that TV music channels account for a surprisingly high 5.2% of listening, so this is not an insignificant audience to reach.
