Amazon is launching the first television products on its Vega OS, its replacement for Android. Its Fire TV range has always been based on a customised version of Android but it seems Vega is not Android anymore and is built directly on the Linux kernel.
Amazon describes Vega as a new operating system built specifically for its own devices, including new Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Echo devices. It says it will continue to launch new devices on its existing Fire OS.
Only apps available from the Amazon Appstore on Fire TV will be available for download, with no installation of other apps possible.
The company has made available Vega Developer Tools, a toolkit to support app development using web technologies and React Native for Vega, including native C++ code through turbo modules. There is a VS Code plugin that allows developers to build, install, control, and debug applications from within the code editor, with a virtual device emulator.
The first product that developers will be able to work with the soon to be launched Fire TV Stick 4K Select, which will also support Alexa+. It will be available for £49.99 in the United Kingdom, while the prices of older version have been significantly reduced.
The intelligent voice search system is said to work across Prime Video, Netflix, HBO Max, and other online video services.
Alexa+ will also provide information about actors, locations, and soundtracks of movies. It apparently also knows about sports scores and statistics, at least in the United States.
Amazon says that Alexa+ on Fire TV will transform the television experience, “making finding what you want intuitive, personalized, and conversational.”
Also built into the experience is a continue watching feature and a personal channel guide that will offer 10 recommendations based on viewing preferences. There is a unified watchlist that allows shows to be saved from other online video services to a single list.
Amazon developed Vega OS to become independent of the Google Android ecosystem, while making it relatively easy for developers to port their applications to the platform.