Amazon's Fire Tv did a great job in capturing over the top set-top box space, but recent reports from AFTV revealed that the company plans to offer bigger and more powerful devices. With the 4K HDR-capable Apple TV waiting to be announced tomorrow, the Online Retail giant already has plans to upstage it
According to the news source, Amazon is set to release two new Fire TV devices later this year. One device is in dongle form and resembles Google's Chromecast, while the other is in a new cube form. These two new models are said to feature a 4K HDR video capable of 60 frames per second.
Full Alexa support will be included in the higher-end model.
A mid-tier dongle
The Chromecast-like dongle is the more affordable option between the two models. It works by connecting to a television with a fixed HDMI cable. While the current Fire TV Stick allows users to interact with Alexa through the included voice remote, the new device is for users who want HDR capability and Ultra HD. This mid-range model offers 2GB of RAM with 8GB of internal storage.
In addition, it will run on a Mali-450 GPU as well as 1.5 GHz quad-core CPU. Despite the enhanced specifications compared to the current Fire TV Stick, the latest Fire TV box still seems to be more powerful. According to the leak, the previous stick model will not be phased out.
Instead, it will continue to serve as the budget model for users who are not looking for 4K capability. The price range for the mid-tier model is between $60 to $80.
A high-end set-top box
The other device set to be released later this year will come in the form of a cube and will feature far-field microphones plus an integrated speaker.
In addition, an LED light bar has also been included in the high-end model. This premium Fire TV cube is a combination of the Echo and Fire TV into one device. It will have Alexa capability, which will allow users to utilize voice commands for playing music, watching movies and TV shows, and accessing other information.
In terms of design, the top of the box will feature similar buttons as the Echo Dot.
These include an action button, a mute button, and volume controls. It is believed to replace the current second-generation Fire TV box, especially with the feature upgrades. With the built-in infrared emitter that controls other gear, the cube is expected to provide easier integration into larger home theater setups. An additional built-in Ethernet port has also been included, which does not exist in the lower-tier models of the same kind. The premium model is estimated to cost over $100.
