Some recent discussions within the FireTV community suggest that Amazon may be considering moving away from the Android OS to develop its own operating system for FireTV devices: VegaOS.
Read Also:
- Amazon has begun replacing Android with its own software on some products (theVerge, Nov’23)
- Amazon confirms that Fire TV is dropping Android in deleted job listing (9to5Google, Jan 31 2024)
This move, speculative as it might be, sparks many concerns.
App Sideloading and Ecosystem
The first question it raises is about the app’s support and availability on a new proprietary OS. Retro-compatibility is not completely excluded, as proved by Google’s new proprietary OS, Fuschia, being able to run Android apps.
In that context, the future of sideloading (= installing apps not officially available on Amazon’s platform), a practice cherished by many FireTV users, is very unlikely in a closed ecosystem.
Support and Updates
I don’t think it’s realistic to believe Amazon would update the existing devices with a new OS; it seems extremely risky, and why lose an occasion to sell new devices? So your cheap Stick full of sideloaded Android apps is not dead! However, as they invest in the new OS, the support for existing devices would be limited.
This leads to another valid concern: while Android grows and is maintained by a large community, a proprietary OS, by design, won’t leave the OS future very dependent on Amazon’s investments (and willingness). Worse, the apps might not benefit from the latest updates if the market share of the new OS is not significant enough for the apps developer.
Monetization and User Experience
One of the most growing concerns among FireTV users (and Android TV in general) is the increasing number of intrusive ad placements in the FireTV interface. With full control over its OS, it is possible that Amazon would develop more monetization mechanics into the user interface and beyond Amazon Prime video suggestions; they could remind you to buy toilet paper between 2 videos. Alexa does it already.
Looking Ahead
Amazon’s potential pivot away from Android OS for FireTV devices would represent a critical juncture for the company and its users. I fear that Amazon Fire TV device sales are driven by users sideloading apps, including IPTV. If that’s true, that’s a significant chunk of the market share that will quickly look for other devices with more flexibility, predicting a dark future for FireTV devices.