Amazon has again been rumoured to ditch Android on Fire TV devices and smart displays in favour of a homegrown alternative.
In November 2023 it was reported by Lowpass that Amazon was planning to move on from the forked version of Android and was developing “Vega OS” to replace it.
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Now, according to a new report from the same source Amazon is almost ready for the off with a roll out planned for the best Amazon Fire TV devices, later this year.
According to the report Amazon “plans to release a first TV streaming device powered by its still-unannounced Vega OS later this year and has been courting major publishers to bring their apps to the platform.”
The software is based on Linux and, as the report says, Amazon’s Echo Hub, Echo Show 5, and Echo Spot have already made the transition to Vega.
The reporter says Amazon has not abandoned plans to bring the OS to smart TV devices like the Fire TV Stick and homegrown sets running FireOS, despite improving the Android-based version this year.
It’s not clear why Amazon reportedly delayed the launch, but it may be to do with bringing app developers on board.
It may also be to ensure the software is fully equipped to run the next-generation Alexa Plus assistant on dedicated hardware. The first tailor-made devices are expected this autumn.
That is, however, just speculation on our part.
Opinion
Android has never been that convenient a software choice for Fire TV devices.
The Fire TV OS is based upon the the open-source version of Android rather than the one Google signs off on every year, so it lacks the Google Play Store and for years even lacked basic Google apps like YouTube.
We’re surprised its taken this long for Amazon to move past it.
