Amazon has launched a new Fire TV Stick HD. It's moving to a new operating system called Vega OS instead of the long running Fire OS based on Android. Unfortunately, that means it will restrict sideloading.
Some users are already being warned that they won’t be able to install apps from outside the Amazon Appstore. It's something you were able to do on Fire TV devices, even though it wasn’t exactly legal. Here's what change means to you.
Future Amazon streaming sticks will block sideloading
Older Fire TV devices have been Android-based since the first Fire TV Stick launched in 2014. Although they used a heavily modified version of Android, users have always been able to install apps from outside the Amazon Appstore. That is, if they enabled it unofficially.
Now that Amazon is moving new devices to Vega OS, its proprietary system, you'll lose the flexibility that comes with it. Vega OS is built from scratch on Linux, which handles everything Android used to handle. But it is now solely Amazon’s own code and APIs overlayed.
The software also removes any engines capable of reading or running APKs as apps are built using JavaScript through React Native, and connect to their native system through a bridge.
When you open an app, the interface logic runs in a JavaScript engine, while native system components handle heavier tasks underneath. Select users have spotted the limitation on the official product page.
For enhanced security, this device prevents sideloading or installing apps from unknown sources. Only apps from the Amazon Appstore are available for download.
Amazon
On the bright side, Amazon promised it will support existing devices until 2030. You'll receive four years of major updates on your current Stick, depending on the exact starting date.
Here's when your Stick will stop receiving support
The following devices will receive Amazon OS support until December 31, 2030, including the newest addition. However, the original Fire TV Stick 4K (first generation) will stop getting support on December 31, 2029.
- Fire TV Stick HD (first and second gen)
- Fire TV Stick 4K Select
- Fire TV Stick 4K Plus
- Fire TV Stick 4K Max (first and second gen)
- Fire TV Stick 4K (second gen)
- Fire TV Stick Lite
- Fire TV Stick (third gen)
- Fire TV Cube (third gen)
The HD Stick is a 3.6-inch device that weighs 35.8 grams. It plugs directly into your TV’s HDMI port. Power is via USB-C, and it comes with the Alexa Voice Remote. It also has a quad-core chip clocked at 1.7 GHz and 8GB internal storage.
It supports Wi-Fi 6 (dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz) and Bluetooth 5.3. It also supports 1080p at 60fps, and HDR10, HDR10 +, and HLG formats with codecs such as H.265, H.264, VP9, and AV. Audio support is through HDMI with Dolby-encoded pass-through that provides surround sound to your TV or sound system.
The device is now selling for $35 on Amazon.
