Amazon is rolling out a new user interface for its Fire TV streaming devices, designed to put more emphasis on content while simplifying navigation. The update, which is initially available to Fire TV owners in the US, represents the first major redesign of the Fire TV in years.
The changes arrive after an explosion of streaming content has made it harder to know what’s available to watch on which service, requiring streaming platforms like Fire TV to serve more as a discovery hub than a tool for launching streaming apps.
The company first previewed the new design at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, showing off an interface intended to make the Fire TV feel less cluttered. The updated design features rounded corners, varied gradients, consistent typography and increased spacing between content and adds more space for pinned apps.
Previously, Fire TV users could only pin six apps to the home screen. Now with smaller app icons, the update expands to 20 app slots, with services like Netflix, Disney+, YouTube, Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max and other top streams.
Additionally, the navigation bar at the top of the screen has been simplified into categories labeled with simple icons, such as Movies, TV, Live TV, Sports and News. The search button is also easily accessible to the left of the Home tab.
Within these tabs, Fire TV displays the content you’re already watching and shows other recommendations from the services you’ve subscribed to, organized into series labeled “For You.” The tabs also highlight free movies to stream, top movies and shows, and other paid content you might enjoy.
The Live TV tab, meanwhile, aggregates access to live content available on your streaming services, as well as broadcast or cable TV if you subscribe or use an antenna.
Less frequently used functions are located under a three-line hamburger menu on the left and include Games, Art and Photos, the Appstore, Music Video and Audio, a global watchlist called “My Stuff”, Settings and other options.
Amazon’s AI assistant Alexa+ is also integrated into the new interface, allowing users to ask questions about almost any topic, not just movies and TV. Queries can be asked using natural language, and Fire TV owners can refine them or ask follow-up questions as they chat with the AI assistant. AI can also interact with content on the screen. For example, you could select a movie tile and say, “Tell me more about it.” You can even ask colorful questions like “Find me more movies that look the same.”
Amazon recently announced that Alexa+ is available to customers with a Prime membership as an included perk. Others may choose to pay for access separately.
The new user interface is first rolling out to Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd generation), and the Fire TV Omni Mini-LED series in the U.S. This spring, it will roll out to more countries and devices, including the latest generation of Fire TV 4K streaming players and TVs, such as the Fire TV 2-Series, Fire-Series, Fire, TV-Series, Q. Series, as well as TVs made by partners such as Hisense, Insignia, Panasonic and TCL.
The update is also available on the new Amazon Ember Artline, a new line of TVs that can make your TV screen look like a framed piece of art when not in use.
