Amazon is drawing a line in the sand. In the future, Fire TV Stick and Echo Show will be delivered with a new operating system instead of Android. This changes that.
In contrast to its larger siblings, the Echo Show 5 does not have a Netflix skill. However, streaming content like the one shown here in the Prime Video skill isn’t much fun on the small display. (Source: Richard W. Schaber)
There have been rumors about this for a long time, but Amazon has now confirmed them indirectly with a job advertisement that is no longer available. The mail order company no longer wants to rely on customized Android for its own hardware; instead, Fire TV Stick and Echo Show will be delivered with a self-developed system. According to rumors, this will be called “Vega OS”.
While developers are still being sought for the new system on the Fire TV Stick, judging by the job advertisement, the system is apparently already being used on the Echo Show, namely on the Echo Show 5 (3rd generation). Amazon has not yet officially confirmed this, but there are indications. As the online magazine LowPass reports, this shows the entry “OS 1.1” as the operating system in the settings, while the Android-based Fire OS 7.5 is installed on other Echo Show models.
Change could limit functionality, at least in the short term
The change brings with it a disadvantage for buyers of the Echo Show 5 (3rd generation). So you can’t use all of the Alexa skills that are available on other Echo Show models. For example, the Netflix skill is missing. This could also be a reason why Amazon is initially testing the new OS on the Echo Show. There is far less third-party software to customize here.
With the Fire TV Stick, however, Amazon would have to convince numerous developers to write apps for the new system or publish the Fire TV Stick with far fewer apps. The porting shouldn’t be too difficult, since Amazon’s new system is based on Linux, like Android. According to LowPass, Amazon is using a modified Linux 5.16 kernel.
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