- Massive Fire TV Makeover Comes to the Phone App, Too
- The app becomes a second screen to control your Fire TV
- Release to everyone in the coming weeks
Amazon’s Fire TV mobile app just got an update and looks like it could become your go-to remote for all your Fire TV needs, whether you have a Stick or a full Fire TV.
The application has not just been renewed. It’s designed as a second screen for your Fire TV, letting you search for things to watch on your phone and manage your watchlist, then play titles on your TV by selecting them in the app.
You can also use your phone as a full remote control, and it looks like it could be much more convenient than endlessly scrolling with your TV remote, especially to view different categories.
It’s also been redesigned to match the current and recently updated Fire TV UI that we saw Amazon announce last week. And it looks like it’ll arrive faster than the TV update, especially if you’re outside the US.
What’s new on Fire TV?
The Fire TV redesign is the biggest rework in five years, and while it’s currently only for the US and three Fire TV models, it will roll out to more devices in more countries this spring. The redesigned mobile app isn’t rolling out as slowly and isn’t limited to the US: it will roll out to all customers in the coming weeks, starting today.
Amazon says it has redesigned the Fire TV user interface to be “cleaner, faster, and better organized” so you spend less time searching and more time watching: Amazon cites research that says that on average American customers spend 12 minutes deciding what to watch, and Amazon wants to reduce that.
In addition to the redesigned design, Amazon engineers have also made the Fire TV faster: according to the company, “we’re seeing speed gains of up to 20-30%” in some cases.
One of the simplest and most effective changes to the new UI is that you can now pin up to 20 apps to your home screen, up from six currently. And the menu button on your remote provides faster access to games, art and photos, and Amazon’s ambient experience.
Alexa is also a big part of the new interface, especially in its Alexa+ incarnation. It’s free for Prime subscribers and available as a separate subscription for non-subscribers. Amazon says you’ll be able to ask Alexa+ for informed recommendations, for example, about movies that share a visual style, and ask questions as if you were talking to a friend instead of your TV.
The Amazon Fire TV update will roll out to US customers now and more broadly in the spring.
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