It won’t be the first time — and it won’t be the last — but a company again accidentally revealed its own product by putting it on their website too early. This time, it was Walmart revealing its own budget-friendly streaming device.
The device itself is a great deal, as it’s an HD, onn.-branded, Android TV-powered streaming device that comes with its own remote, streaming stick, and necessary cables — all for $24.88. This puts it lower than Roku’s price-conscious streaming devices they sell exclusively at Walmart. Granted, Walmart’s device is only 11 cents cheaper than Roku’s $24.99 Roku Express, but it’s still cheaper. Walmart’s device will also likely have YouTube TV and Spectrum apps, which Roku’s devices will not, thanks to their ongoing tiffs with both companies.
While they were at it, Walmart also revealed a “premium” version of their budget streaming device, that will offer 4K streaming on top of the benefits its HD device has, including a smart remote with built-in Google Assistant, as well as dedicated buttons for Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, and HBO Max. The 4K device is not a stick, though, and instead is a small box, similar to the ones produced by Roku and Amazon.
The device itself is a perfect starter option for families or kids who don’t want a cable box in a certain room, but still want to be able to access shows and movies. Thanks to the Android TV operating system, users can also stream photos, videos, and music from their smart devices to their onn. device.
Walmart joins Amazon as a retailer that’s getting into the streaming game by offering its own device. Could Target or other budget-friendly stores like Five Below offer their own discount streaming devices in the future?