Fire TV has been updated for a minute – a very long minute. With its latest overhaul, Fire TV finally delivers a user interface that matches that of competing streaming devices.
When Chromecast with Google TV came on the scene, Google gave other $ 50 devices for $ 50 money. It is well designed, funny and delivers clean and organized recommendations with a layout that just works. At the time, both the Roku and Fire TV experiences seemed uncomfortable. But the new Fire TV update offers a much better experience for the Alexa set it prefers over other streaming devices, with new navigation tools to find content, the addition of user profiles for more custom viewing and a significantly improved home screen . Fire TV Stick Lite and third generation Fire TV Stick users will get it first, and Amazon said other devices will get the update in early 2021.
The first thing existing Fire TV users notice is a reorganization of programs, menus and content. Instead of the primary navigation features being located at the top of the home screen, it now appears closer to the center under a spotlight banner for promoting content and features. In this new menu you will also find icons for your primary applications, with a “more” button next to it that will yield the rest. I liked this design a lot because I find that I usually only jump between four or five primary programs at any given time, depending on what I was watching. Below this row on the home screen you will find categories for “next”, recently used shows, Prime originals, live and upcoming events, recommendations for IMDb TV content supported by ads (owned by Amazon and appearing everywhere on Fire) TV ), as well as genre- and application-specific content suggestions.
The primary navigation menu has been disabled from the previous version. To the left of the homepage you will now see a library tab. This is where Fire TV will submit your checklist, rentals and purchases. To the right of the home page you will see new “find” and “live” options. Amazon covered its TV and movie cards from the old experience and nested them under the find discovery screen. This is where you can search for apps, TV shows, movies, and free content, as well as content by genre category. It was for me one of the best decisions Amazon made regarding content discovery, although ads and promoted content from Amazon still fall into these categories – something I hated about the previous experience that could be transferred here. Is it unbearable? No. But it’s still a big difference between the experience you have with Fire TV and Apple TV, for example.
G / O Media can get a commission
Meanwhile, the dedicated live TV tab is a welcome addition to the Fire TV experience for anyone who has officially cut the cord. The live tab appears here to keep up to date with the latest and sporting suggestions, or if you prefer the old-school feel of a vibrant and linear channel surface, you can use the channel guide feature to see something to watch. I loved this tool to navigate Sling TV to see something, but I could see some improvement. If I used the guide for this app, I could browse on channel but could not see the real time of the app itself. Instead, the guide just showed me how much of the program was left to watch with a screenshot of the series or movie. Again, not a deal, but a live feed of the series while navigating would be a huge improvement here.
A big bonus of the new Fire TV, however, is the addition of individual user profiles. Fire TV supports up to six profiles, providing multi-user households with a more customized viewing experience. Specific settings, watch history, watch lists, live TV and recommended content will all be customized for each individual profile, which means you no longer need to see suggestions for Commandment if disturbing reality TV is not really your thing – even if someone else in your house is an avid viewer. In addition, parents are able to age content with Amazon Kids profiles that filter out things that are appropriate for you, but not for your five-year-old.
Voice support is no longer a particular intrigue as it is available on just about every recent streaming device. But it was a welcome addition to a Vizio M-Series Quantum unit that I checked. In addition, I use a fourth generation LED powered Echo Dot to test the new Fire TV experience, and I have to admit that I had a totally hands-free option to turn on my television and start content, as it felt like a luxury – especially since I love the slim Fire TV remote lost under a mountain blankets and pillows. To be honest, I prefer Google Assistant over Alexa for most things, but Alexa has done a good job of handling commands for things like turning on my TV, opening programs, and showing content. A few times Alexa stumbled through Hulu’s user screen when I asked to show my content in the app, but it was often resolved by repeating the command.
Ultimately, I think Amazon has reached a home business with its Fire TV redesign. The navigation is more meaningful, user profiles provide better personalization and it is easier to find content here than in the past. Admittedly, there is room for improvement. As already mentioned, live TV teasers would be an excellent update for the experience, as well as fewer recommendations for Amazon’s own content and features (although somehow it manages to feel less ubiquitous as in the previous version of the interface). Amazon did not attract me so much from the Google TV experience I love, but Alexa enthusiasts and streamers looking for a cheap device will not be disappointed.
READ
- The new Fire TV offers up to six user profiles for better customization and content recommendations, including for kids.
- Voice control with Alexa allows for hands-free browsing by genre, title or category – whether with a compatible Fire TV remote control or connected smart device.
- An improved homepage and navigation menu makes discovery easy and fairly simple.
- Expect to see ads and promotional banners for Amazon content almost everywhere.