At CES 2026, Anthony Wood, Roku’s founder, chairman, and CEO, offered a hint about the future of the company’s newest streaming channel, Howdy, and its ambition to become a broader competitor. Launched last August, the service costs $2.99 per month and provides ad-free access to library content. This arrives at a time when rival streamers are consistently raising their prices.
Wood explained the strategy at the Variety Entertainment Summit at CES. He noted that streaming services are becoming more expensive and increasing their advertising loads. The original market segment of low-cost, ad-free streaming has disappeared, and Howdy aims to fill that gap.
The executive also indicated that Roku plans to expand Howdy’s availability beyond its own platform. While it started on Roku, the company intends to take the service off-platform as well. When asked for clarification about expansion to mobile apps or the web, Wood stated that while specific platforms have not been announced, the goal is to distribute Howdy everywhere. This suggests Howdy could eventually become an app available on any device.
Wood declined to share specific subscriber numbers. However, he expressed confidence in the service’s potential, stating that based on the market, Howdy is positioned to become a major streaming service.