Amazon recently launched its new Fire TV Stick HD, a refreshed version of its entry-level 1080p streaming stick. On paper, it doesn't seem like a bad streaming stick. It's got improved performance, a new slim design, and, finally, Amazon has opted to use USB-C on it after using Micro-USB on all its previous Fire TV Sticks. But there is one detail about the new Fire TV Stick HD that was left out of the announcement for it: the operating system it runs, Vega OS.
Vega OS is Amazon's new Linux-based operating system, which debuted on the Fire TV Stick 4K Select last year. While it looks identical to Fire OS, the Android-based operating system that Fire TV Sticks have run for over a decade, the key difference is that Vega OS doesn't support sideloading. This means you can't download and install third-party apps on it, and you're limited to what's available in the Amazon Appstore.
If you're someone who just uses your Fire TV Stick to stream and doesn't care about sideloading, Vega OS won't affect you at all. But if you're an enthusiast who likes installing third-party apps on your Fire TV Stick, such as custom launchers, the switch from Fire OS to Vega OS will be disappointing.
What's more, Amazon has recently announced that all future Fire TV Sticks will also run Vega OS. In other words, the era of getting new Android-based Fire TV Sticks is officially over. However, if you're still looking for an Android experience on your Fire TV Stick, there's still a chance to get it before it's gone for good. But the clock is ticking.
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max still runs Android – for now
But for how much longer is the question?
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