Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)recently launched the updated version of its set top box, the Fire TV complete with new features such as 4K compatibility and Amazon’s digital assistance. These features look enticing but unfortunately the TV box is lacking in some areas.
It was a smart move for the company to include Alexa, its digital assistance on the TV box because it makes the search option much simpler through audio command. Digital assistants seem to be becoming more interesting. Who doesn’t love giving orders at the comfort of their own home? Unfortunately the feature is not so tuned and could do with some adjustments. Alexa will get most searches right but will annoyingly provide unwanted search results.
The company has also concentrated a lot on using the box to support its Amazon Prime Streaming service and digital content rentals. This means other content especially from other companies such as Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) have been pushed aside. Amazon has also not integrated Alexa with the Netflix app on Fire TV, thus a huge disappointment to many who use the platform particularly for the Netflix App.
Amazon promised to include fixes in the future through updates. Other than the minor issues, the company hit the bull’s eye with the new TV box especially with the upgrade to 4k compatibility. Unfortunately the amount of 4K content available is limited just like when 3D was introduced to smart TVs. Nonetheless, the upgraded features are vital for the company to compete against rival TV boxes such as Roku or Apple TV.
At the end of the day it all comes down to the content being offered and how well the platform is able to deliver.
The hardware updates with the new Fire TV box makes it more powerful. However, the full capacity of the new box is yet to be exploited. Unfortunately buying a TV box based on the promise of future updates is not everyone’s cup of tea.
Sources: Fortune, Independent
