Katarzyna Petru
Amazon has finally admitted what users have known for a long time: navigation on Fire TV has been a nightmare. The giant has just unveiled the first major overhaul of its system. Instead of a chaotic grid of icons, we now get a control center that is supposed to be faster, smarter, and most importantly; finally allows pinning more than just a few apps.
More apps in the main menu
What was the biggest complaint about Fire TV according to users? The limitation to 6 pinned apps on the home screen. In the new version, Amazon has finally changed this, and thanks to smaller icons, you can now pin up to 20 shortcuts. If you are using a system based on Fire TV, regularly juggling between Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, and HBO Max, you will no longer have to sift through the full list of installed apps.
It is faster (by up to 30%)
Amazon has not limited itself to rounding corners and new gradients. Engineers rewrote a significant portion of the code responsible for the interface's operation. According to leaks, the system is supposed to respond 20% to 30% faster. This is a key change because, as we know from our tests of Panasonic TVs, this system could be quite "clunky".
Of course, things get interesting when it comes to something other than: AI. The built-in Alexa+ is no longer just a tool for checking the weather and simple commands. Now you can talk to it in natural language, for example, about what you want to watch.
You can ask: “Find me thrillers in the style of this particular movie XYZ.”
AI understands the context and will ask for details during the conversation.
The only downside, or rather two, is that the Alexa system works best in English. However, regarding Alexa+ itself, it is free for Prime subscribers. Others will have to pay separately for this perk.
When is the new Fire TV?
For now, the rollout is taking place in the USA, which includes the latest devices (Stick 4K Max 2nd gen, 4K Plus) and Amazon TVs like Omni Mini-LED and the Ember Artline, which is a new series of Amazon TVs that, like Samsung's The Frame, appear as framed images when turned off. The update is expected to launch globally in the spring. It will reach newer Fire TV players and partner TVs (including Panasonic, TCL, Hisense).
Source: flatpanelshd, techcrunch
