TL;DR
- Amazon has revealed an overhauled Fire TV user interface.
- The redesigned UI takes a page out of Google TV’s playbook by offering unified suggestions and a smart home panel.
- The new UI will start rolling out next month on select devices in the US.
One of the most convenient things about the Google TV UI is that you can view streaming suggestions from various apps on your home screen. This means you don’t need to hop between specific apps. Now, Amazon has announced a Fire TV redesign that offers similar functionality.
Amazon announced an upgraded Fire TV UI, and one of the most notable additions is that you can now see content from your various subscriptions in a single tab. For example, the movies tab will show movies from Netflix, Prime Video, and Apple TV. Switch to the sports tab, and you’ll see sport-related picks from various apps. Either way, this echoes Google TV’s unified approach as well.
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Fire TV is also following Google TV with the addition of a shortcut panel, activated by long-pressing the home button. Much like Google’s window, this panel offers smart home controls. However, it also shows connected Ring cameras and provides quick access to commonly used AV settings.
Amazon also lets you pin up to 20 apps to your home screen. This is a major increase from just six pinned apps in previous Fire TV versions. The company also says you can quickly access Games, Art and Photos, and the Ambient Experience by pressing the menu button on the remote.
Do you use Google TV or Fire TV?
15 votes
Google TV
53%
Fire TV
7%
Neither
40%
Otherwise, the new UI offers “improved layouts, rounded corners, redesigned color gradients, updated typography, and more optimized spacing.” The tech giant adds that you can also expect a 20-30% speed boost in some cases thanks to under-the-hood optimizations.
The new Fire TV UI will roll out in the US as part of a software update in February 2026. The update will be available on the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, second-generation Fire TV Stick 4K Max, and Fire TV Omni Mini-LED range. Amazon says the update will roll out to more countries and devices in Spring 2026, including first- and third-party devices.
The company also announced an updated Fire TV mobile app, which now lets you browse content, manage your watchlist, and play content on your TV. This updated app will be available from next month.
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