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HBO Max is ending support for older Amazon Fire TV devices running on Fire OS 5. This means that millions of users of older streaming boxes and sticks may lose access to one of the most popular VOD platforms. The issue mainly affects devices sold up to 2020, which Amazon has long since practically stopped updating.
Older Fire TVs lose access to HBO Max due to lack of updates
According to new information, HBO Max has raised the minimum system requirements from Fire OS 5 to Fire OS 6. The problem is that Amazon has practically never updated older Fire TV devices to new versions of the system. As a result, a huge number of devices have been permanently stuck on Fire OS 5 and there is no option for an official update. The most affected are expected to be older models of Fire TV Stick, including the very popular second generation of the device. This is another major streaming app withdrawing support for these devices. Previously, a similar decision was made by Netflix, which ended support for its app on these devices in 2025. Everything suggests that the list of unsupported platforms will continue to grow.
Amazon is increasingly distancing itself from old devices and Android
The situation is further complicated by Amazon's change in strategy. The company is increasingly transitioning from the Android-based Fire OS to its own Vega OS system based on Linux. The new Fire TV devices are already set to use Vega OS, which means that streaming applications need to be rewritten specifically for the new platform. Older Fire TV devices have long ceased to receive full technical support, and some users even accuse Amazon of deliberately "killing" the hardware through a lack of updates and phasing out features. For many people, this may mean the need to replace their device with a newer streamer, such as Apple TV 4K or Google TV Streamer, if they want to continue accessing all popular VOD services.
source: flatpanelshd
