Amazon’s big Fire TV update with a brand new home screen is out now

Amazon on Thursday announced that its big new Fire TV software update is rolling out to gadgets now. It has a completely redesigned home screen and options like separate person profiles, so suggestions for what to observe are completely different for every individual in your loved ones.

The software program was first announced in September and made its debut on the Fire TV Stick Lite and third-generation Fire TV Stick in December, however now everybody who owns Amazon’s Fire TV Cube (1st and 2nd Gen) and the Third-gen Fire TV, the Fire TV Stick 4K will have the ability to use the new options. Amazon says it is updating good TVs and the second-generation Fire TV Stick later this 12 months.

The new options might assist it compete extra aggressively towards Roku, which nonetheless has a 50% market share of world linked TV streaming hours with sturdy progress alternatives, in keeping with an analyst word from Deutsche Bank in August.

Up to 6 folks can create completely different profiles with the new software program. So, should you watch a lot of comedy reveals, Amazon may advocate different comedies you will like. But in case your partner watches a lot of dramas, they’re going to get suggestions for extra of that kind of content material. Currently, with a single profile, Amazon simply recommends extra based mostly on no matter has been watched, irrespective of who does the viewing.

The personalization additionally extends to the home screen, the place you’ll be able to pin particular apps to the highest for fast entry. Maybe you employ Netflix, YouTube TV and Disney+ typically, for instance. You can put new smaller icons for these up high. Recommendations for the stuff you watch throughout providers are displayed under that.

There’s additionally a new “Live” tab that reveals you a channel-guide so it is simpler to leap proper into reside TV, should you pay for a streaming TV service like Sling or YouTube TV. Amazon informed CNBC in September it designed this to make it a extra acquainted expertise for people who find themselves switching from cable to streaming.

The update additionally consists of deeper integration with the Alexa voice assistant, so you’ll be able to say “Alexa go to Live TV” and it will launch the reside streaming TV service you pay for.

Finally, there’s a new “Find” part that makes it simpler to seek out one thing to observe. It reveals motion pictures, on-demand TV reveals, reside TV, your watch listing and extra. 

You can update your Fire TV by opening Settings and choosing “My Fire TV,” then “About” and selecting “Check for System Update.”