- Fire TV’s massive overhaul also includes the phone app
- The app becomes a second screen to control your Fire TV
- Rolling out to everyone in the coming weeks
Amazon’s Fire TV mobile app just got an upgrade, and it 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 set.
The application has not only had a facelift. It was designed as a second screen for your Fire TV, allowing you to find content 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, and it looks like that could be a lot more convenient than endlessly scrolling using your TV remote, especially when looking at different categories.
It’s also been redesigned to match the recently updated Fire TV’s current UI, which Amazon announced last week. And it looks like it will arrive faster than the TV upgrade, especially if you’re outside the US.
What’s new in Fire TV?
The Fire TV redesign is the biggest redesign in five years, and while it’s currently limited to the US and for three Fire TV models, it will be rolling out to more devices in more countries this spring. The redesigned mobile app isn’t rolling out so 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 a study that says U.S. customers spend an average of 12 minutes deciding what to watch, and Amazon wants to reduce that time.
In addition to the redesigned layout, Amazon engineers also made Fire TV faster: according to the firm, “we’re seeing up to 20-30% speed gains” in some cases.
One of the simplest and most effective changes in 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 quicker access to games, artwork and photos, as well as Amazon’s Ambient Experience.
Alexa also plays an important role in the new interface, particularly 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, such as telling you about movies that share a visual style, and asking questions as if you were talking to a friend rather than your TV.
The Amazon Fire TV update is now rolling out to US customers and more widely in the spring.
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