AMAZON has revealed some major upgrades for Fire TV owners – and a brand new telly with a matte screen.
The tech giant dished out a bumper crop of updates for telly fans who use the company’s Fire TV system.
That means people who use Fire TV models as well as Fire TV Sticks that plug into the back of your regular telly.
FIRE TV MAKEOVER
The Fire TV user interface is getting a big makeover, which Amazon says should mean it easier to ifnd something to watch.
For instance, if you’re looking for a movie, you’ll be able to see titles from all of the apps that you’re using in one place.
There’s a more modern design with “improved layouts, rounded corners, redesigned colour gradients, updated typography, and more optimised spacing”.
STREAM’S DEAD
Fire TV Stick piracy block escalates with big change to STOP illegal streams
TV TREAT
Sky & Fire TV Stick users get free upgrade this month and keep kids entertained
But more obviously, the code that the system is built from has been improved.
Amazon says this means you should notice up to 20-30% gains in speed when using the new interface.
You’ll also be able to pin up to 20 apps to your home screen, up from the current six.
And you can now press the Menu button to quickly get to Games, Art & Photos, and the artsy Ambient Experience screensaver-style system (more on that below).
Most read in Phones & Gadgets
Brainy AI helper Alexa+ is also built into the system, so you can ask for a type of movie, a specific actor or director, for a title to be added to your watchlist, for stats from a game you’re watching, or to create a background screensaver from scratch.
It’s all coming as a free update, so watch out for that.
REMOTE IN CONTROL
On top of that, the Fire TV mobile app is getting what Amazon calls a “glow up“.
You can currently use it as a second remote if you’ve lost your other one, or you’d just rather control your TV with your phone.
But Amazon has added several features to the mobile app to make it more powerful.
“The redesigned app adds the ability to browse content, manage your watchlist, and play titles on your TV – all with a look and feel that matches the new Fire TV design,” Amazon said.
“Now you can use your phone as a second screen to discover what to watch next or add a friend’s show recommendation to your watchlist when you’re away from home.”
It’s still free to download too.
NEW MATTE TV
Amazon has also unveiled a brand new TV called the Amazon Ember Artline.
It’s a 4K QLED telly that supports Dolby Vision and HDR10+ for better contrast and a wider range of colours.
And it’s ultra-svelte at just 1.5mm thick.
But perhaps its most unique feature is that it has a matte display – rather than the glossy panels you’d normally find on TVs.
Amazon says this is meant to make “your art and photos look great”, as well as reducing glare “in any lighting condition”.
It has far-field microphones built in so that you can chat naturally with Amazon’s Alexa+ AI virtual assistant.
And it also has something called Omnisense technology that will turn the Ambient Experience (which shows art and photos, plus widgets) on when someone walks in – and off when they leave.
You’ll be able to enjoy more than 2,000 pieces of free art with this feature.
Amazon is offering up 10 easily adjustable magnetic frames in the following colours:
- Walnut
- Ash
- Teak
- Black Oak
- Matte White
- Midnight Blue
- Fig
- Pale Gold
- Graphite
- Silver
And it’s out “later this spring“.
WHEN AND WHERE?
The new Fire TV interface is launching initially in February in the US, rolling out to more countries in the spring.
And it’ll be available on the following devices:
- Fire TV Stick 4K Plus
- Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd gen)
- Fire TV Omni Mini-LED series
Later in spring, it’ll come to these devices:
- Fire TV 4K (latest generation)
- Fire TV 2-Series
- Fire TV 4-Series
- Fire TV Omni QLED Series
- Partner TVs (Hisense, Insignia, Panasonic, TCL)
- Amazon Ember Artline (at launch)
There’s no release date for the new TV model just yet.
But you can sign up to be notified when it goes on sale “later this spring in the US, Canada, Germany and the UK”.
The gadget comes in 55-inch to 65-inch variants starting at $899.
And you’ll be able to get it in a choice of those 10 adjustable colour frames.
