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Amazon Working to Create its Own Operating System for Fire TV Devices

A new report suggests that Fire TV devices may not be powered by an Android-based operating system for much longer.

David Satin
David covers the biggest news stories, live events, premieres, and informational pieces for The Streamable. Before joining TS, he wrote extensively for Screen Rant and has years of experience writing about the entertainment and streaming industries. He's a Broncos fan, streams on his Toshiba Fire TV, and his favorites include "Andor," "Rings of Power," and "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."
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David Satin

If you’re the owner of an Amazon Fire TV device, and you’ve had a complaint or two about slow loading speeds or difficulty of navigation, you may notice some big improvements coming your way in the next few years. Amazon has heretofore relied on Android’s Open Source Project to build the Fire TV operating system, but it sounds as if that arrangement won’t be in place for much longer.

  • A new report from Lowpass suggests that Amazon is building its own operating system for Fire TV devices.
  • The new OS is codenamed Vega and is intended to compete with Android and iOS.
  • Vega could begin shipping on Fire TV devices in 2024.

Why is Amazon Switching to a New Fire TV Operating System?

A new report from Janko Roettger's newsletter Lowpass says that Amazon is getting ready to say goodbye to the Fire TV OS that users know today. That system is built from the Android TV OS, which lets third-party developers bring their apps to Fire TV smart TVs and streaming devices without having to build them from the ground up.

However, reliance on the Open Source Project has led to Fire TV OS lagging behind Android TV’s updates. Android first launched version 14 of its operating system as a public beta this summer, but the current version of Fire TV OS is based off Android 9. If your Fire TV device seems a little sluggish as compared to other streaming devices, this will give you at least some estimate of why.

A new operating system will allow Amazon to compete with Google and Apple in the marketplace by giving potential customers another choice besides Android TV or iOS to operate their devices. It could also mean more hardware manufacturers will be able to partner with Amazon to create Fire TV devices, as for some time Google pressured device makers not to build smart TVs powered by Amazon.

Will New Android Operating System More Fully Integrate Prime Video, Freevee?

The Fire TV OS already places content from Amazon’s streaming services Prime Video and Freevee front-and-center, but creating a new operating system of its own essentially gives the company limitless options. It can create new, dedicated content sections specifically for those two services, and saturate the system with advertisements and mentions of content that users will find exclusively on its platforms.

Until the new Amazon OS is ready for the market, users can expect the company to continue updating current Amazon Fire TV devices. Amazon recently rolled out a series of upgrades to Fire TV devices, mostly geared at easing navigation and making the user experience more intuitive.

There is a new range of Fire TV devices available for audiences to stream on as well, including streaming sticks and sound bars. You can read The Streamable’s review of Amazon’s latest generation Fire TV Stick 4K Max here if you’re looking for some holiday gift inspiration.

Amazon Fire TV

Amazon Fire TV is a streaming device that can be used to watch Live TV Streaming Services and On Demand Streaming Services.

Limited Warranty

Your Amazon Fire TV probably isn’t covered against mishaps and malfunctions. We’ve partnered with 5Devices to give The Streamable readers a protection plan for any internet-connected device, including your Amazon Fire TV, iPhone, etc starting at $2.67 per device per month. And the good news is that it covers devices you already use (ie. no need for proof of new purchase).

David Satin
David covers the biggest news stories, live events, premieres, and informational pieces for The Streamable. Before joining TS, he wrote extensively for Screen Rant and has years of experience writing about the entertainment and streaming industries. He's a Broncos fan, streams on his Toshiba Fire TV, and his favorites include "Andor," "Rings of Power," and "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."
Read full bio ›
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