Summary
- Amazon plans Vega, a Linux-based Fire TV OS, reportedly launching in 2025; announcement may be imminent.
- Vega will keep a content-first home with suggested shows, apps and ads, similar to current Fire TV UI.
- Switching from Android may block existing sideloaded piracy apps; sideloading might still work if apps are rebuilt.
Earlier this year, it was rumored that Amazon would be moving ahead with plans to replace its current Android-based Fire TV OS, which powers not only the retail giant’s Fire TV sets but also its portable Fire TV sticks, with a new custom-built operating system code-named Vega built on Linux. Though we previously didn’t have any details with regard to how far along development might be on this new OS, it looks Amazon may be ready to roll out the red carpet for Vega sooner rather than later. The Verge reports that a recently-published (and then swiftly edited) job listing for a software development manager mentions a 2025 launch for the Vega operating system, meaning we could be weeks or even just days away from this massive change.
While details remain under wraps, Vega is expected to be very similar in look and feel to Amazon’s current Android-based OS, with a content-first home screen that includes suggested shows, apps, and of course, ads. The vast majority of streaming apps, including Apple TV, Netflix, HBO Max, and more are expected to launch alongside the new OS so that Fire TV device owners can continue streaming their favorite content without interruption.
An official announcement is expected soon and could happen as early as next Tuesday at Amazon’s upcoming media event, which is rumored to not only include refreshed Fire TV devices, but also new Kindles as well.
Could this be the end of Fire Stick-based piracy?
It’s unclear how or if sideloading unauthorized apps could work on Vega
There are plenty of reasons for Amazon to ditch Android and develop its own OS, but one big contributing factor that is likely going unsaid is the rampant piracy that happens on Fire TV Stick devices. Earlier this year, a damning report was released by Enders Analysis that showed Amazon’s Fire TV Sticks facilitating “billions of dollars” worth of streaming piracy. In a statement to the BBC made at the time, Amazon pledged to continue to crack down on piracy efforts, and while they were able to block some prominent piracy apps in the immediate wake of this revelation, the ability to side-load content through Android made these efforts fairly ineffective in the long term.
However, with the new Linux-based Vega on the way, these unauthorized apps will no longer work on Fire TV devices, and while the ability to sideload may remain, the apps will need to rebuilt in order to be compatible with the new system, putting an almost immediate halt to Fire TV piracy.
Amazon has yet to confirm the existence of their new operating system, even though we’ve known about it for awhile, but it seems increasingly likely that Vega (or whatever name Amazon ends up going with for this new OS) will be getting an official release in the very near future.
