"Black, unassuming, about the size of a pack of chewing gum: On the surface, the Fire TV 4K Select stick released in mid-October looks just like any other streaming device made by Amazon. Plug it into your TV, and you'll be greeted by Amazon's tried-and-true living room interface, complete with icons for popular streaming apps like Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video."
"That's because the device is running Vega - a new, Linux-based operating system Amazon has quietly been building over the past couple of years as a replacement for its legacy, Android-based Fire OS. The company plans to eventually launch Vega across a wide range of devices, including smart displays, streaming devices, even car dashboards. The adoption of Vega represents one of Amazon's most ambitious hardware-related initiatives ever since the launch of the first Fire TV device over a decade ago. It also prompted backlash from consumers and lukewarm reception from developers. But for the company, launching Vega may be worth the pain."
""Amazon has always wanted to create its own software ecosystem," says Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart. Betting on Vega allows Amazon not just to optimize the code running on its devices, but also to break free from Google and take control of its own destiny."
Amazon's Fire TV 4K Select stick runs Vega, a new Linux-based operating system developed as a replacement for the legacy Android-based Fire OS. Vega is intended for deployment across smart displays, streaming devices, and car dashboards. The transition represents one of Amazon's largest hardware-related software shifts since the first Fire TV, and the rollout has generated consumer backlash and tepid developer response. Amazon aims to build its own software ecosystem to optimize device code and reduce reliance on Google. The company originally adapted open-source Android for Fire TV in 2014, forgoing Google's Play Store and creating its own app store and services.
Read at Fast Company
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