Amazon Fire TV for the first time will come pre-installed on several actual TVs.
Previously, Amazon Fire TV came in the forms of separate streaming media player or USB stick that served as a dashboard for a variety of streaming services, apps and channels. Seiki, Westinghouse and Element Electronics — all of which are owned by Asian TV manufacturer Tong Fang Global — will each release four 4K Ultra HD smart TVs powered by the Amazon Fire TV OS later this year.
The Amazon Fire-powered TVs will be sold on Amazon.com and at authorized retailers. Seiki announced the new TVs at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas Tuesday but did not list prices.
Current Fire TV users will recognize the interface with access to streaming services like Amazon Video, Netflix and HBO Go. When used with an HD antenna, the new Fire TVs can display live programming alongside the selection of streaming services.
And what would Fire TV be without its Alexa-powered remote? In this new version of Fire TV, Alexa can launch apps like Netflix, change channels, rewind and fast forward and jump between inputs.
HD Guru reports that the TVs will eventually be controllable from an Amazon Echo. And Amazon may be working on more advanced Alexa skills for Fire-powered TVs, such as scene-by-scene navigation and control of third-party apps.
