Amazon Fire TV devices are about to change forever – and I'm not sure how I feel about it

Amazon could announce a major change for its Fire TV devices during its annual hardware event next week. It is claimed to be switching the system they operate on, which may have major ramifications for apps, streaming quality and general operation.

This is not the first time we've heard of such plans – it was touted back in November 2023 – but it now seems the retail and tech giant is ready to take action.

According to The Verge (via 9to5Google), Amazon will reveal Vega OS during its devices event on 30 September. This is said to be replacing Fire OS and the Android system it is based on.

As 9to5Google points out, Vega OS has been in the pipeline for a while (hence the 2023 reports), and Amazon itself revealed its existence in a job advert: "The Prime Video Fire TV organisation is seeking an engineering leader that will help in building a Vega OS product that will delight customers worldwide," it said.

The ad also revealed that the Vega OS product is planned for release this year.

We're not expecting the software to be available as an update for existing Fire TV devices or televisions, they will continue to run on Fire OS and be supported going forward. However, new devices could launch soon on the platform.

Personally, I'm pleased that existing Fire TV Stick and set owners will continue to be able to use their devices as per normal. Where I am concerned is whether the new Vega OS models will support as many apps – especially the major streaming services, other than Prime Video.

I suspect we'll see a fair few of the games available on Fire OS (thanks to its Android core) disappear on the newer system.

As an aside, it's believed that any new Fire Tablets the company makes will run on the latest Android, not Vega OS, so they are unlikely to be affected. In fact, it's thought that Fire OS will no longer be a thing on that range either, so app compatibility might increase.

We should find out more in just a few days, with new Echo speakers and a Kindle or two also said to be making appearance during the New York event. We'll keep you posted.