Amazon’s TV Operating System Now Rivals Google TV

The Amazon Fire TV has been feeling a bit outdated for some time now. Its interface lacks the intuitive navigation found in Google TV, Roku, or Apple TV, and its sluggishness can be quite frustrating. I’ve considered it the weak link in Amazon’s lineup, especially when paired with otherwise stellar TVs like the Panasonic Z95B. However, after seeing a preview of the upcoming changes, I’m genuinely excited about the new Fire TV OS redesign.

The revamped layout is much more organized and takes cues from Google TV, which has been my go-to for a while. It’s visually appealing, featuring rounded tiles instead of the harsh rectangles of the current version, making navigation feel smoother. The new design places tabs at the top of the screen for search, home, and categories like movies, TV shows, sports, news, and live content, aggregating material from all your subscriptions rather than just by app.

If you want to browse your apps, they now have their own dedicated line. Plus, you’re no longer restricted to just six pinned apps on the homepage; you can pin up to 20 and rearrange them to prioritize your favorites. While there are still sponsored content recommendations taking up some screen real estate, that’s a common feature across streaming platforms.

The Amazon team has also optimized the OS for speed, claiming a responsiveness boost of up to 30 percent. The remote now features a menu button for quick access to games, art, photos, and Amazon’s Ambient Experience. A long press on the home button brings up a shortcut panel for audio and display settings, connected devices (like Ring cameras), and other frequently used controls.

With the new Fire TV OS, Amazon Alexa+ will be fully integrated, allowing you to search for content, get updates on your favorite sports teams, control smart home devices, or jump to specific scenes in your shows.

The Fire TV mobile app has also received an upgrade. Beyond serving as a backup remote, it now lets you browse content, add movies and shows to your watch list, and select titles to play on your TV. You can even access the app while away from home, making it easy to add suggestions from friends on the go.

The redesigned Fire TV UI is set to launch in February, starting with the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen), and Fire TV Omni Mini-LED TVs. Later in the spring, the update will roll out to the latest Fire TV 4K streaming media players and TVs, including the Fire TV 2-Series, Fire TV 4-Series, Fire TV Omni QLED series, and models from Amazon partners like Panasonic, Hisense, TCL, and Insignia. The new OS will also debut with the Amazon Ember Artline TV.