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Your Fire TV is poised to get a major update that’ll completely change how you search for TV shows, documentaries and films to watch. Amazon has acknowledged how tough it can be to find new boxsets to binge – with dozens of new series launching across Netflix, Prime Video, NOW (formerly NOW TV), MGM+, Disney+, Apple TV+, BBC iPlayer, All4, ITVX, and many more each week.
While almost all Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Cube, and Fire TV-powered televisions ship with support for the chatty AI assistant Alexa, this isn’t all that helpful unless you know the name of the show, the director, or an actor that you’re looking to watch. That’s what Amazon hopes to fix with its latest free upgrade, which is set to roll out in the United States later this year.
Chatting with Alexa to find a new TV show or film will feel more conversational. So, you’ll be able to ask things like “I liked Better Call Saul, are there any movies like that?”, “show animated movies that are free for me to watch”, “comedies for a rainy day inside”, or while looking at a carousel of new titles, you can ask Alexa to narrow things down with queries like “which one of these movies should have won an Oscar but didn’t?”.
Alexa will tailor its responses to these queries based on its knowledge of your personal tastes, which it draws from your viewing history on the Fire TV. For everything else, Amazon says its chatty AI is tapping into databases like IMDb for ratings, actors, directors, and trivia.
Amazon is working on a second-generation Alexa, which is built on a new large-language model and generative AI. This technology, which is similar to what powers services like ChatGTP, enables more natural conversation – without the need to keep repeating the wake word “Alexa” before each command. It’s only thanks to these underlying improvements that Alexa will be able to make recommendations of new shows, documentaries, and films from across the streamers installed on your devices based on the criteria that you ask.
The upgraded Alexa can handle advanced options, like setting up new Alexa Routines, which allow users to chain together multiple commands with a single trigger phrase (for example, you can tell the AI assistant to dim the lights, mute your Ring doorbell notifications, and turn on the TV when you say “Alexa, it’s movie night”), by asking Alexa. Before, this was something that could only be done in the app. Even without an Alexa Routine formalised, users will be able to daisy-chain commands in a single command, for example “Alexa, open the blinds, make the living room lights cosy, play my Night Out playlist on Spotify, and turn off the porch lights”.
The improved Alexa will start rolling out to all Amazon Echo, Echo Show and Fire TV devices in the coming months, starting in the United States.
The overhauled search isn’t the only software update coming to existing Fire TV devices. For the first time, Amazon’s Fire TV Ambient Experience is coming to select models of Fire TV Stick. Until now, this has been confined to those with a Fire TV-branded television. It’s designed to transform your television into a smart hub when you’re not actively using it. Widgets for the Calendar, Weather, and Reminders can be pinned to the screen.
When enabled, you’ll be able to leave Sticky Notes pinned on-screen for family members, control smart devices like a thermostat or Ring doorbell, play audio from services like Amazon Music, Spotify, and others.
Speaking about the announcements, Vice President of Fire TV Tapas Roy said: “With a world of content at your fingertips, sometimes the hardest thing to do is decide what to watch. Fire TV has always been great at search, but generative AI takes it to a whole new level.
“We’ve leveraged our new large language model to create a much more natural and conversational way to find content using natural dialogue. Simply ask Alexa nuanced or even open-ended questions about anything from genres and actors, to storylines and scenes, and enter a conversation that will find you something new based on what you like – even if you don’t know what you’re looking for.”
To accompany these software upgrades, Amazon also announced a couple of new Fire TV devices.
Fire TV Stick 4K (2023)
The latest revamp of the Fire TV 4K is 30% more powerful than the previous generation, thanks to a new 1.7Ghz quad-core processor. Amazon has also added support for Wi-Fi 6 which – provided you’re running a Wi-Fi router with the technology built-in for your home network – will unlock faster wireless speeds and less disruption.
As with its predecessor, Fire TV 4K offers 4K Ultra HD picture quality and immersive Dolby Atmos audio with support for industry standards like Dolby Vision, HDR, HLG, and HDR10+. Leveraging the Alexa Home Theatre features, you’ll be able to wirelessly connect compatible Echo devices, like the Echo Studio, to create a surround sound system across multiple speakers and inputs.
As a new perk, Amazon is bundling 6-months of MGM+ for free with all Fire TV purchases.
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Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023)
The most powerful Fire TV Stick in the lineup enjoyed an update for 2023 too. As mentioned above, it will be one of the first devices to unlock the Fire TV Ambient Experience on any telly. That means you’ll be able to pin multiple apps on-screen when you’re not watching, using Alexa to load video previews from Ring doorbells, posting Sticky Notes to remind other family members, and more.
The new Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the first streaming media player to come with Wi-Fi 6E, meaning those who have upgraded to a compatible router (like the Eero 6E Pro) can enjoy the smoothest streaming experience with lower latency, faster speeds, and less interference from other Wi-Fi-enabled devices in the home.
Powering the new dongle is an upgraded 2.0Ghz quad-core processor, making it Amazon’s smartest and most powerful streaming stick yet. As before, expect support for the likes of 4K Ultra HD picture quality with Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10+, and immersive Dolby Atmos audio. Fire TV Stick 4K Max also features 16GB of storage – twice as much as the previous model’s capacity – so you’ll be able to store more apps and games directly on the device.
As above, customers will unbox MGM+ for 6-months with the purchase of the new Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
Fire TV Soundbar
Amazon also unveiled its first dedicated soundbar called – perhaps unsurprisingly – the Fire TV Soundbar. This two-channel companion device is designed to enhance dialogue and bring sofa-shaking sound with support for DTS Virtual:X and Dolby Audio. It features a compact 24-inch design, is simple to set up, and is compatible with all Fire TV devices. When not watching TV, you’ll be able to connect your smartphones, tablets, or any streaming device via Bluetooth.
Sadly, there’s no UK release date or price yet.
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