Amazon begins rolling out redesigned software for Fire TV

Amazon has begun to roll out a redesigned software interface for its line of Fire TV devices. Referred to as the new “Fire TV experience,” the update includes more personalized recommendations and watch lists, plus the addition of multi-user support (up to six users).

The home screen has been updated with a new navigation menu that sits more centrally on the screen. The menu features access to your library, live content, and your favorite apps. The top half of the screen will display big, bold media, while the bottom half will show a traditional tile layout for movies and TV shows.

One of the newest additions to the menu bar is a “Find” tab, which features movies, TV shows, free ad-supported content, and sports from various services. The new Find tab on Fire TV is meant to provide users with recommendations when they’re unsure what to watch. Instead of endlessly scrolling a service, you can navigate to the Find tab and pick something from there.

As you’d expect, Alexa also gets top billing with improved integration with the new dashboard. When you setup a voice profile, Alexa can recognize your voice. The voice assistant will also be able to switch to the correct profile after recognizing a user’s voice, so users can easily access their recommended content. Users can also navigate the UI with voice commands or execute routines.

Speaking of Alexa, when you ask for things like the weather, responses will be less intrusive. Alexa’s answers will appear at the bottom of the screen, rather than taking over the entire UI. Finally, the new Fire TV experience now supports picture-in-picture, so you can enjoy multiple programs at once.

The updated experience is rolling out now to the most recent Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite. Other Amazon devices, including the Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Cube, should receive the revamped interface early next year.

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