As new players enter the streaming media category, some in the “old guard” are finding it hard to retain their once lofty market share numbers according to Parks Associates. The market research firm’s latest analysis shows that Roku remains the number one hardware vendor when it comes to streaming devices despite tumbling from a 46 percent share in 2013 to 29 percent in 2014.

Since last year, Roku has seen a few newcomers enter the fray including Google with the $35 Chromecast and Amazon with the $99 Fire TV. Amazon also started shipping the $39 Fire TV Stick to customers late last month, but we’re not sure that enough of those devices are in consumer hands to make a difference in Park Associates’ numbers.

Google is perhaps the biggest winner, going from a nonexistent presence in the market early last year to 20 percent in 2014 allowing it to capture second place. The strong showing from Google and Amazon was enough to erode Apple’s roughly 25 percent share of the market in 2013 to just 17 percent in 2014, knocking it down to third place.

From the article "Roku Still Leads in Streaming, Google Chromecast Steals Second from Apple TV" by Brandon Hill.

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