Fire TV Sticks: Vega OS likely only an alternative to Android

Vega will not be without an alternative: Amazon also wants to continue to offer Fire TV sticks that are based on Android. "We've always been a multi-OS company," writes Amazon in a developer FAQ about the new Vega OS. "We will continue to launch new devices with Fire OS."

Fire OS is an open-source Android-based operating system that previously ran on Fire TV sticks, among other devices. On Tuesday afternoon, however, Amazon announced the first Fire TV Stick that runs on the Linux operating system Vega OS. The Fire TV Stick 4K Select costs 55 euros.

Sideloads are made more difficult

According to Amazon, Vega OS primarily has performance advantages. The company speaks of a "responsive experience with efficiency" – among other things, apps should load faster. The disadvantages of the new OS remain unspoken. Buyers may have to live with no longer being able to install apps outside of Amazon's store (sideloading)

Amazon itself emphasises that only officially supported applications will run under Vega OS. However, the website AFTVNews reports that there may well be ways to load unsupported apps onto Fire TV sticks with Vega OS. However, it remains to be seen how well this will work. According to AFTVNews, it is conceivable that the developer mode required for this is only available to registered developers. There are also indications in the software that non-native apps may only be able to be executed by command and not via the user interface. Whether and how sideloading will ultimately be possible remains to be seen.

Vega OS is also used in Amazon's Echo speakers, among other things. It remains to be seen how Amazon will decide which devices will be launched on the market with Fire TV and which with Vega OS.

(dahe)