TL;DR
- Amazon has officially announced Vega OS.
- Vega is the new operating system the company developed to replace Android.
- The Fire TV Stick 4K Select is the first Fire TV device to use the software.
Last week, a slip-up by Amazon confirmed that Vega OS — the company’s alternative to Android — would launch this year. It was reported that the e-commerce giant could finally announce the operating system during its upcoming hardware event. It turns out the report was right, as Vega OS is now official.
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At today’s hardware showcase, Amazon unveiled its lineup of new Fire TV products. Among that lineup is the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, the first Fire TV device without Fire OS — a forked version of Android. In a blog post, Amazon reveals that the 4K Select “delivers vibrant 4K picture quality with HDR10+ support and apps that launch remarkably fast” thanks to Vega OS.
Amazon describes the new operating system as responsive and highly efficient. According to the Amazon listing, the 4K Select comes with half as much RAM (1GB) as other 4K Fire TV Sticks. The fact that apps still launch fast, even with less RAM, seems like a testament to how lightweight the platform is.
Of course, the drawback of jumping to a new operating system is the lack of support. Many of those Android apps on Fire OS won’t be available on Vega. However, Amazon says that the 4K Select “works with your favorite streaming services.” According to AFTVNews, the company states that the following services are compatible: BBC, DirecTV, Disney Plus, ESPN, FOD, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, Pluto, Prime Video, Paramount Plus, Peacock, Plex, Sling, Starz, and Tubi. It also mentions that Xbox Gaming, Luna, and Alexa Plus will soon be supported as well.
The other major difference between the 4K Select and other Fire TV Sticks is the ability to sideload apps. While the act is not officially supported, the company is aware that many owners tend to do this. Since the 4K Select uses Vega instead of a forked version of Android, Amazon says “only apps from the Amazon Appstore are available for download.”
In terms of the UI, it seems fairly similar to its Android-based counterparts. Which is good news if you don’t feel like learning the ins and outs of a new interface.
The Fire TV Stick 4K Select is available for pre-order today and is expected to ship starting next month. It will cost you $39.99, which is about the same price as the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
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