Fire OS has been implemented across Amazon’s extensive hardware portfolio for a considerable duration. It is a forked version of Android based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), which enables Amazon devices to operate the majority of Android applications without difficulty. Nevertheless, the organization is adamant that Fire OS be discontinued and intends to develop an entirely new proprietary operating system in its stead.
Amazon is developing”Vega” to replace Android.
Amazon has been developing a new operating system codenamed “Vega” for the past several years, according to a new Lowpass report. To support its claim, the report cites a variety of job postings, reference materials, and information obtained from multiple sources with knowledge of the development plans.
According to the claim, Amazon initiated discussions with chipmakers regarding a new operating system as early as 2017. Vega, which the corporation has reportedly been developing for several years, has reportedly reached a relatively advanced stage. Indeed, shipments on select Fire TV devices may commence as early as the following year.
Vega is defined as a Linux-based web-forward operating system. It is rumored that hundreds of members of Amazon’s Device OS team are contributing to the development. The new operating system will be utilized by every Amazon device, including IoT products. The ultimate objective is to wholly replace Android on Fire TV devices.
There are several factors that contributed to Amazon’s choice to abandon the Android platform in favor of an internally developed operating system. One of the primary reasons is that Fire OS is built upon an older version of Android than other Android devices. For instance, despite the fact that the most recent version of Android is Android 14, the current-generation Fire OS 10 is built upon Android 10 and Android 11. This is also the rationale behind Google’s transition to smart display devices powered by the Linux-based Fuchsia OS.
Amazon is in the process of developing the SDK in order to incentivize developers to produce applications for Vega. Without a doubt, this is an essential stage; notwithstanding the quality or speed of a novel operating system, it is essentially doomed if it lacks adequate application support.
According to the report, Amazon ultimately desires for Vega to function on devices other than Fire TV. In-vehicle entertainment systems and additional forthcoming hardware products are included. Vega’s precise release date is unknown; however, given that the company intends to introduce it to select Fire TV devices in 2024, an official announcement is likely to be made in the near future.
