Beating out Apple TV, Roku leads as America's most popular streaming media device, penetrating 37% of homes compared with Cupertino's 24% stronghold, according to the latest data from Parks Associates.

Surveying 10,000 U.S. households, the research firm found the number of homes with set-top boxes has doubled to 14% since 2011. By 2017, Parks Associates expect connected TV device sales to soar to 330 million, almost twice the forecast for 2013. The firm's research director, Barbara Kraus, attributes this to streaming devices' attractive price point compared with other hardware upgrades, such as 4K television sets and game consoles, noting in a statement that "consumers are reluctant to replace these big-ticket items solely for smart upgrades."

Because Parks Associate polled households in the first quarter of 2013, Google's $35 Chromecast, which launched earlier this summer, wasn't included in its report. However, Kraus highlights it as one of the devices to benefit from the rapid adoption of streaming devices.

From the article, "Sorry Apple TV, Roku is America's Most Popular Streaming Box" by Alice Truong.

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