Earlier this year we caught a glimpse of a self-branded Android TV streaming stick from Walmart. Now, what appears to be an Onn Android TV UHD Streaming box has appeared online. That's according to 9to5Google, which spotted a new listing on Walmart's website.
The product page has since disappeared, but the streaming device was listed for $29.98, despite being out of stock — probably because it hasn't been officially unveiled by the company. However, it strongly suggests that Walmart is jostling to get in on the streaming game with what looks to be an upcoming in-house Android TV device.
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A sub-$30 4K streamer
Competing with Rokus and Amazon Fire streaming devices is certainly no cinch, so what exactly is Walmart's Onn Android TV box bringing to the table? According to the Walmart listing, the Onn Android TV device streams in 4K, plus delivers “Dolby audio.”
Any finer details have been withheld, but 4K streaming at sub-$30 is certainly an attractive proposition if it holds to be true. It would undercut the likes of the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K and Roku Streaming Stick Plus, both costing around $50.
The device will run Android TV, uses HDMI, and features what appears to be a Google Assistant-enabled remote with an ensemble of native buttons to play Netflix, YouTube, Disney Plus, and HBO Max.
Onn and Onn the streaming wars go
Visually, the Onn Android TV streaming box looks a tad bland, as might be expected of a budget-friendly device. It's a design, says 9to5 Google, that echoes the nondescript design of Google’s developer device, the ADT-3, but with Walmart's in-house brand name, 'Onn', etched on top.
Whether the Onn Android TV box is robust enough to carve out a niche for itself amongst other streamers remains to be seen, irrespective of taking on the mighty Amazon.
Of course, streaming hardware is now a far more open territory. Where once it was the preserve of a few major players, streaming has now normalized to a degree that companies can chuck out a sub-$30 streaming cube and see if it sticks. That's especially true if you have Walmart's inventory and the freedom to stack shelves high with a new streaming gadget in your many retail stores.
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