Roku Backdrops draws heavy inspiration from the pricey Samsung The Frame TV

One of the main standout features of the Samsung The Frame TV is that it can act like a framed painting hung on the wall when switched off. While this can boost the overall aesthetic of the place, these smart TVs don't come cheap. The base 43-inch 2024 model, for example, costs $999.99 (curr. $847.99 on Amazon).

But if you have a Roku TV, you don't need to spend that much to get the same feature. The company has just announced a new feature called Backdrops, and it takes heavy inspiration from the thing that sets The Frame TVs apart. Like Samsung's feature, it can display artwork and photos when the smart TV is turned off.

Roku says that Backdrops allow you to create a custom gallery of images, which will be showcased after the smart TV is turned off. Alternatively, you can just use the pre-generated gallery that's based on a particular museum or artist. Of course, the feature needs to be turned on first.

Worth noting that not all Roku devices will be getting it at the same time. The company says that the Roku-branded smart TVs and third-party options running Roku OS will receive Backdrops in the next few weeks. The other devices will also get the feature in the future.

As for turning the feature on, backdrops can be enabled through Settings or through the dedicated app that will become available after the smart TV is updated. After it's enabled, the feature will start displaying the selected gallery of images after the TV is turned off. Roku says that the feature can also be turned on manually.