Amazon’s Fire TV Devices Outsold Apple TVs a year ago

“Roku devices are the most used among U.S. broadband households that own a streaming media device at 37 percent, followed by Google Chromecast at 19 percent, Apple TV at 17 percent and Amazon Fire TV devices at 14 percent”. The market research outlet reported Friday that Apple TV slipped to fourth place on the list of most-sold streaming devices in 2014.

A new Parks Associates report on streaming media devices reports four brands – Amazon, Apple, Google, and Roku – accounted for 86% of all units sold to US broadband households in 2014. Amazon’s Fire TV was the third choice, while Apple came in fourth. The refreshed Apple TV is expected to feature redesigned hardware and software, a new remote, support for an App Store, Siri integration, and more.

“Roku continues to lead streaming media device sales in the U.S. with 34 percent of units sold in 2014”, said Barbara Kraus, the director of research at Parks Associates. At the same time, the smart TV market still hasn’t consolidated, which gives streaming devices more value. However, only two per cent own both form factors- streaming media player and stick. Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) was second with 23%.

The popularity of streaming media boxes has grown as consumers have shifted from linear pay-TV programming to on-demand Internet video from services such as Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) and Hulu.

For the most part, Google is sticking in the low end with Chromecast, lacking higher-end offerings. Perhaps Google learned its lesson with the terribly misguided Nexus Q. Roku, however, is still the king of the digital streaming space. Technically, the company quietly updated the Apple TV internals in 2013, but that was only to swap out a 32-nanometer A5 with a 28-nanometer A5. Rumors suggest the Cupertino-based tech giant will release a new and improved Apple TV in September. However in 2014, it fell behind the recently introduced Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. In March, Apple cut the price on the current Apple TV device to $69 from $99.