Amazon is said to be working on its own operating system, which could be released in 2024
Amazon has been working on its own operating system for its Fire TV sticks, televisions and smart displays for years. The Linux-based OS could replace Android as early as next year.
According to a report from Lowpass.cc, Amazon is said to be on the verge of turning its back on Android. The company has reportedly been working for years on an operating system codenamed Vega, which will replace the Android-based Fire OS on its devices. The majority of Vega's development is said to have already been completed. Initial tests with Fire TV streaming adapters have also taken place. The company has already informed selected partners that it will soon be switching to a new application framework. One of the anonymous sources, an Amazon employee, is said to have reported as early as September 2022 that Amazon was even building an iOS/Android competitor for all devices and the Internet of Things.
Why Amazon wants its own operating system
According to industry insiders, the main reason why Amazon wants to do its own thing is monetisation. In other words, so that its own services and advertising can be better marketed to customers. However, this should also make things easier for Amazon beyond the software. In the past, for example, it has had to battle with Google when it came to launching its own smart TVs with hardware partners. Google is said to have urged its partners to refrain from doing so. In the end, Amazon and Google reached an agreement that paved the way for the collaboration with Hisense and TCL.
Other advantages of the proprietary operating system
One advantage of the Android open-source project is that it can run lots of apps from third-party providers. This should not change completely with the new operating system. It will also be based on Linux, but with a stronger focus on web-oriented applications. Developers are said to have been told that they should use the React Native application framework for future apps. The special thing about React Native is that it can be used to create apps for different operating systems, including iOS and Android. The additional effort for Vega apps should therefore be limited.
Vega could also solve the current update problem at Amazon. Current Fire TVs are still running Android 9, even though the 14th Android version has already been released. This is because Android itself was developed for smartphones and a large part of the code is not required for smart displays and the like. The adaptations to the devices therefore take a lot of work. With its own, leaner OS, this could be overcome.
It will hopefully soon become clear whether the insider information is actually true. A complete conversion of all own products to Vega is said to be firmly planned. This is rumoured to start as early as next year. The sources do not say whether the OS will also appear later for devices from other companies. It would be desirable, because competition stimulates the market.
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