Amazon is rolling out a new user interface for its Fire TV streaming devices, designed to put more emphasis on content while simplifying navigation. The update, which is initially available to Fire TV owners in the US, marks the first major overhaul of the Fire TV in years.
The changes were made after a surge in streaming content, making it harder to determine what you can watch on what service, requiring streaming platforms like Fire TV to serve more as a discovery hub than just a launcher for streaming apps.
The company first showed off the new design at January's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, showing off an interface that's meant to make Fire TV feel less cluttered. The updated design includes rounded corners, varied gradients, consistent typography and increased spacing between content, and adds more space for pinned apps.
Previously, Fire TV users could only pin six apps to their home screen. Now, with smaller app icons, the update expands that to 20 app slots, supporting services like Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max, and other top streamers.
Additionally, the navigation bar at the top of the screen has been simplified and divided into categories marked with simple icons, including: Movies, TV, Live TV, Sports and News. The search button is also easily accessible on the left side of the Home tab.
In these tabs, Fire TV displays content you're already watching and displays other suggestions drawn from the services you subscribe to, organized in rows labeled “For You.” The tabs also show free movies to stream, the most popular movies and shows, and other paid content you might like.
The Live TV tab, meanwhile, centralizes access to live content available on streaming services, as well as broadcast or cable TV if you have a subscription or use an antenna.
Less frequently used features are located in the three-line “hamburger” menu on the left and include games, graphics and photos, the app store, music videos and audio, a universal watchlist called “My Stuff”, Settings and other options.
Amazon's Alexa+ AI assistant is also built into the new interface, allowing users to ask questions about almost any topic, not just movies and TV. Queries can be made using natural language, and Fire TV owners can refine them or ask additional questions while talking to the AI ​​assistant. Artificial intelligence can also interact with the content displayed on the screen. For example, you can select a video tile and say, “Tell me more about this.” You can even ask specific questions like “Find more videos with the same look.”
Amazon recently announced that Alexa+ is available to Prime customers as an add-on. Others may choose to pay a separate access fee.
The new UI will first launch in the US on Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen) and Fire TV Omni Mini-LED. It will launch in more countries and on more devices this spring, including the latest generation of 4K streaming Fire TV players and TVs such as the Fire TV 2-Series, Fire TV 4-Series and Fire TV Omni QLED, as well as TVs made by partners such as Hisense, Insignia, Panasonic and TCL.
The update is also available on Amazon's new Ember Artline TV series, which will make your TV screen look like a framed work of art when not in use.
