Roku’s business model was always going to have issues. As the apps for streaming services land on TVs, BluRay players, and cable boxes there’s less and less need for a devise that just runs apps. Sure they’ve got their own streaming service, but where’s the revenue there? They don’t have commercials. And my TV has a Roku app.
They need to figure out where the money comes from. They were a great bridge before everything that touches your TV could run the apps. But we’re on the other side of that now.
I have Roku boxes on my smart TVs. I found that the TV apps will sometimes lag and buffer while the same apps through the Roku do not.
Plus, if you buy the Roku 4k+ unit (about $39.95 at Walmart) you can program Roku's very simple remote to turn on and off your TV and control the volume.
And if you lose the remote, replacements are dirt cheap from Amazon. I've got Roku remotes all over the house!
There’s a lot of things simply not on those stand alone “smart TVs” accessible through Roku - but you’re right, enough things are to where people may forgo buying a box. It seems there are more and more TV brands where Roku is allowing or partnering with them to have their interface to be built in vs. buying the box.