Amazon makes Fire TV Blaster unusable
Amazon is ending support for the Fire TV Blaster – and will make the device unusable via an update. Customers will receive a gift card as compensation.
(Image: Amazon)
The Fire TV Blaster becomes e-waste: Amazon is ending support for the streaming hardware, which was released as an accessory for Fire TV Sticks. With an update, Amazon plans to make sold devices unusable on January 31, 2026.
Amazon is informing buyers of this via email, a spokesperson confirmed to heise online. According to the information, customers in Germany will receive an Amazon gift card worth 29.40 euros as compensation. This gift card will be automatically deposited into the Amazon account. Customers do not need to do anything for this, according to Amazon. Users can check if the gift card has already been received via the Amazon link.
Amazon introduced the Fire TV Blaster in 2019 as additional equipment for customers who already have a Fire TV Stick and an Echo speaker in their home. With the infrared blaster, customers can control their devices via voice command. This makes it possible, among other things, to turn televisions and soundbars on and off by command.
The Fire TV Blaster thus serves as a kind of bridge between the Fire TV Stick and the Echo speaker. For customers with an existing smart home setup, it was a cheaper alternative to the Fire TV Cube, which bundles all functions in a single device. In Germany, the Fire TV Blaster was launched with a recommended retail price of 35 euros.
“Demand has decreased”
“The device served its purpose during a transitional phase in the smart home industry, but with the widespread adoption of HDMI-CEC technology and the further development of our Fire TV product range, the demand for a standalone IR blaster has decreased,” Amazon explains the end of support to heise online.
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Amazon ended the sale of the blaster last year. Given its low adoption rate, the discontinuation of support by Amazon is understandable. However, it is unclear why Amazon is making already-sold devices unusable with an update instead of at least keeping them functional in their current state. AFTVNews first reported on the shutdown of the Fire TV Blaster.
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