Amazon rumored to begin shipping video-streaming devices in April

Amazon’s rumored TV streaming device will launch early next month as the company races to compete in the growing market of set-top boxes and HDMI sticks, The Wall Street Journal reports. Citing the usual “people familiar with the company’s plans,” the news outlet claims the device will be available through Amazon’s website as well as brick-and-mortar retailers including Best Buy and Staples.

Amazon.com Inc. AMZN +0.99% will begin shipping its long-awaited video-streaming device in early April, through its website as well as retailers including Best Buy Co.BBY +0.15% and Staples Inc., SPLS 0.00% said people familiar with the company’s plans. The Amazon device will carry a variety of apps available on Roku Inc. and Apple Inc.AAPL +0.88% set-top boxes and run on a version of Google Inc. GOOG +1.61% ‘s Android software, like Amazon’s tablet computers, these people said. Roku’s most popular apps include video services NetflixNFLX -0.58% and Hulu Plus and music service Pandora, P -0.37% as well as Amazon’s own video-streaming service.