Amazon.com Inc. announced a faster, slimmer Fire TV Stick 4K streaming device alongside a revamped remote control and upgrades to Alexa+ for the living room. The new product is priced at US$59.99 and starts shipping Tuesday in the United States and a dozen other countries. Availability will expand further in late October, Amazon said in a statement. The company claims that the new device makes apps launch 35 per cent faster and allows content to start playing nearly 20 per cent more quickly “than a similarly priced 4K streaming stick from another leading brand.” It’s also touting the streaming gadget as offering a faster experience than the built-in software on many smart TVs. The Fire TV Stick 4K includes eight gigabytes of internal storage, is powered by a quad-core processor and has both Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 wireless connectivity. It supports multiple high dynamic range (HDR) video formats, though Dolby Vision is excluded. It’s efficient enough to be powered by the built-in USB port on most TVs without needing to be plugged into a wall outlet. With this introduction, Amazon is streamlining its stick lineup to the US$40 Fire TV Stick HD, Fire TV Stick 4K and US$85 Fire TV Stick 4K Max. The latter provides more storage and faster speeds, in addition to the aforementioned Dolby Vision support. All of the devices are frequently discounted by the online retailer. Bundled with the Fire TV Stick 4K is a redesigned remote control with more tactile buttons and an asymmetric shape that makes it easier to tell when you’re holding it right side up. The remote has gained a customizable button, a convenience previously limited to Fire TV’s more premium remote, that can be mapped to open a specific entertainment app or adjust settings. The new Fire TV Remote will be available as a standalone purchase for US$15, with an aluminum version to follow in early 2027 that adds backlit buttons and a Find My Remote feature. Amazon is also giving Alexa+ its own hub on Fire TV, and customers can expect smarter AI for locating content. “Alexa+ now draws on real-world context — awards, events, cultural references — alongside a customer’s subscriptions and watch history to answer more complex questions and deliver smarter, more personal responses,” the company said. Customers can ask follow-up questions and scroll back in a conversation thread to see previous recommendations. The new Alexa+ hub also makes it possible to pick up exchanges that started on a different device — like an Echo speaker. This Alexa+ push extends to the Fire TV mobile app, where customers will be able to use the assistant to search by voice or text. Amazon is rolling out new functionality to the app, such as the option to share an article they’re reading about a movie or TV show with the Fire TV app. When this happens, Alexa+ will create a curated list of the titles mentioned in each article for easier streaming later on. Users can even upload “a photo of something that reminds them of a movie or show” — anything from a poster to a screenshot of a meme — to the app and Alexa+ will respond with recommendations. Amazon is also improving the discoverability of several entertainment hubs, such as those for live TV, gaming and online creators. The Alexa+ updates will start reaching customers in November and expand to more devices and countries next year. Netflix analysts are souring on the stock as growth fears mountYouTube inks Amazon partnership to boost online shopping bet Lastly, the company is bringing an overhauled Amazon Music app to Fire TV later this fall with full support for music videos, video podcasts, live concerts and more in a redesigned app experience. Bloomberg.com
