Many Fire TV owners miss having a Fire TV box with a USB port that doesn’t need an adapter. So, is there any hope of a new Fire TV in 2019?
It is extremely certain that Amazon will be releasing a new Fire TV in 2019. Exactly what kind is unknown, but it is likely to be an updated Fire TV Stick.
Amazon has moved most of their focus to the Fire TV Stick. You can see that in Amazon’s dominance of the stick streaming market and Roku’s dominance in the set-top box streaming market.
Here is what we think is most likely for Amazon to update this year.
There are two Fire TV models that need an update: The Fire TV Stick HD and the Fire TV Cube. The Fire TV Cube is probably the most likely to be updated. Amazon has recently been adding a lot of new features primarily with new Alexa controls to the Fire TV Cube. The main downside has been that the Fire TV Cube is slightly underpowered to be both a streaming player and an Echo dot. This has resulted in the Fire TV Cube being slower in our tests than the Fire TV Stick 4K. An updated Fire TV Cube with more power would likely help Amazon gain on Roku’s dominance in the set-top box market.
The Fire TV Stick is also starting to show its age. Amazon updated the Fire TV Stick remote earlier this year, but the stick itself is the same as it has been for a few years now. An updated Fire TV Stick with a slightly faster processor will help it keep up with ever more powerful apps.
Could the end of the Fire TV Stick be coming?
It is also very possible that Amazon will be ending the Fire TV Stick HD. With the Fire TV Stick 4K only costing $10 more and at the same price as a Roku HD Stick the Fire TV Stick 4K really is all that is needed. With the Fire TV 4K Stick also supporting HD some extra marketing promoting that fact would let Amazon cut back on the number of streaming players they offer to two. Traditionally, Amazon has only had two streaming players: a stick and a set-top box. It is very likely that in the next few years Amazon will once again just be offering two devices: a 4K stick and a 4K Fire TV Cube.
What do you want to see in the next Fire TV? Leave us a comment and let us know.
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