Shortly after the unveiling of the Apple TV 4K, Amazon has updated its own high-resolution streaming set-top box lines by upgrading the Fire TV, with the improvements including HDR and Dolby Atmos support, more power, and a physical makeover, as well as a lower price point.
In exchange for Apple bringing the Amazon Prime Video app to tvOS, Amazon will reportedly return the favor and begin sales of the Apple TV hardware via its online storefront, and the changes could come as soon as next month's WWDC.
A new survey of U.S. broadband households recently purchased a streaming media player has found that Roku continues to own the largest market share, while the Apple TV sales have greatly increased since last year's update. However, no one device controls a majority of the market, leaving the race for a winner still wide open.
Amazon on Tuesday touted the performance of its first-party product lineup — particularly the Fire TV, which the retailer said was the best-selling streaming media player in the U.S. across all retailers. But the cited data only covers the months leading up to the debut of the fourth-generation Apple TV.
Amazon will halt all sales of the Apple TV and Google Chromecast beginning on Oct. 29, the company said in an email to marketplace vendors, claiming that its Prime Video service doesn't run well on some devices outside of the Fire TV line.
There's a new Apple TV coming in October, but before plunking down any hard-earned money, it's worth comparing it with other options out there like Amazon, Google, and Roku — and even the older third-gen Apple TV.
Amazon on Thursday announced seven new hardware products from its Fire lineup of tablets and streaming TV accessories, including an entry-level tablet that costs just $49.99, and a new $99.99 Fire TV with support for 4K video content.
A report published on Wednesday claims set-top media streamers like the Apple TV will be in one out of every four homes by 2015, but market growth of Apple's device is being outpaced by sector giant Roku, at least in the U.S.
Amazon on Thursday confirmed that Fire TV will add unified voice search compatibility with Hulu Plus, Crackle and Showtime Anytime this summer, extending the capability of the Apple TV competitor.
When Amazon launched its Fire TV earlier this month, the company positioned casual gaming as one of the set-top streamer's "bonus" features. In this review follow-up, AppleInsider picks up the controller to find out if mobile gaming is ready for the living room.
The set-top streaming business got a little more crowded when Amazon announced the Fire TV last week. With voice-activated search, predictive content loading and a gaming "bonus feature," the Internet retail giant is positioning its new device as a cure-all usability for problems plaguing existing products.
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Malcolm Owen
Neil Hughes
Roger Fingas
AppleInsider Staff
Mikey Campbell
