Amazon Echo, Kindle and Fire TV, all of these devices use Samsung’s Android operating system. But now it will soon be over. Amazon’s new era is set to begin with Vega.
Drastic changes for Amazon Echo, Fire TV and Kindle: They should get a new operating system. (Source: depositphotos.com / bennymarty)
- Most Amazon devices use an Android-based operating system.
- That should change. Amazon wants to say goodbye to Android with “Vega”.
- The main motivation could be better advertising opportunities.
Apple has iOS, LG has webOS, but not every technology manufacturer can provide their own operating system for their devices. Amazon, for example, uses an external solution for its devices. Android versions are sometimes used on Echo speakers, Fire TV and Kindle. But now Amazon should separate from Android.
With its own operating system called “Vega” (code name), Amazon wants to break away from its current Android dependency. This is what long-time technology journalist Janko Roettgers, who has written for the US entertainment magazine Variety, reports on his technology blog Lowpass. He relies on several industry-internal sources and job advertisements.
Amazon operating system has been in the works for years
There have been rumors for a long time that Amazon was quietly working on its own operating system. Development is said to have started in 2017. The desire to have your own operating system is understandable, as many Amazon devices use outdated Android versions.
Even the Fire OS preinstalled on Amazon Smart TVs is based on the five-year-old Android 9 version. Samsung has currently reached version 14. Of course, such an old Android version also lags behind in terms of technology.
With “Vega,” Amazon could offer completely new options for users on various devices, including a specially designed user interface. Amazon’s approach is comparable to that of Google, which has developed its own television operating system with Google TV.
Vega offers Amazon a decisive advantage
Janko Roettgers believes he knows Amazon’s biggest motivation: With its own operating system, the company has full control over advertising and services on the devices and thus also over their monetization.
However, it is unlikely that you will have to switch to the new operating system for your current Amazon devices in the future. A “Vega” update for old devices would be technically very difficult to implement. Amazon’s own operating system will probably be used primarily on new products that appear in the next few years.
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