Amazon has issued an update to Fire TV streaming units and televisions that has damaged apps that permit customers bypass the Fire OS dwelling display screen. The tech large claims that its latest Fire OS update is about safety however has refused to element any potential safety issues.
Users and app builders have reported that quite a few apps that used to work with Fire TV units for years have instantly stopped working. As first reported by AFTVnews, the update has made apps unable to determine native Android Debug Bridge (ADB) connections and execute ADB instructions with Fire TV units. The update, Fire OS 7.6.6.9, impacts a number of Fire OS-based TVs, together with fashions from TCL, Toshiba, Hisense, and Amazon’s Fire TV Omni QLED Series. Other units operating the update embody Amazon’s first Fire TV Stick 4K Max, the third-generation Fire TV Stick, in addition to the third and second-generation Fire TV Cubes and the Fire TV Stick Lite.
A code excerpt shared with AFTVnews by what the publication described as an “affected app developer,” which you’ll view right here, reveals a line of code indicating that Fire TVs wouldn’t be allowed to make ADB connections with a neighborhood system or app. As identified by AFTVnews, such apps have been utilized by Fire TV modders for skills like clearing put in apps’ cache and utilizing a distinct dwelling display screen than the Fire OS default. Other makes use of embody superior tweaks, like console emulators, as How-To Geek famous.
Ars Technica requested Amazon why it determined to dam Fire TVs from making native ADB connections and what, if any, particular safety issues have been associated. A spokesperson responded with an organization assertion studying:
We applied a software program update to guard buyer safety. We are conscious of studies that some apps have been impacted by a latest safety update. If builders have questions, they will contact their Amazon Fire TV Appstore consultant, or go to https://developer.amazon.com/help/contact-us.
This means that Amazon’s adjustments are related to safety issues. But it’s unclear what Amazon is claiming to guard customers from as the corporate declined a number of requests for feedback on the particular safety danger.
Further including to the confusion across the “safety” update, Amazon Fire TV units can nonetheless make ADB connections to exterior units, like computer systems. And quite a few units with stronger safety issues, like Android telephones, help native ADB connections.
Home display screen suspicions
While Amazon is obscure about its causes for the update, other than safety issues, it supplies Amazon with at the least one profit: Apps that enabled individuals to make use of Fire TV units with out seeing the Fire OS dwelling display screen are not working. As defined by AFTVnews, “apps commonly used by the Fire TV modding community will often use local ADB connections to detect remote button presses. That detection allows the use of alternate home screens.”
It’s not exhausting to see why individuals would possibly need to keep away from the Fire OS dwelling display screen nor why Amazon would need to pressure customers to see it. Like many TV distributors, Amazon is making an attempt to drive long-term income from TV gross sales by together with adverts into the TVs’ OS, permitting Amazon to promote advert area and perception round advert engagement. Fire TV streaming units and televisions have made names for themselves with low costs. But since Amazon debuted Fire TV in 2014, it has up to date Fire OS to incorporate extra adverts and has plans to extend advert income additional as it really works to construct the generative AI model of Alexa.
We’ve beforehand seen what Amazon is prepared to do to guard Fire TV-related advert income. Last 12 months, Amazon broke Remapper, a free app that made Fire TV remotes programmable. Remapper was a income menace since corporations pay Amazon (and different corporations with TV OSes, like Roku) to place their streaming service buttons on remotes, which drives subscriptions.
Other damaged apps
Beyond breaking apps that permit customers skip the Fire OS dwelling display screen, the update has reportedly bricked different apps.
For instance, for the reason that update, TDUK APP Killer, which closes all background apps with one click on, and TDUK APP Cache Cleaner, which clears app caches with one click on, have not labored. AFTVnews reported that Amazon initially informed the apps’ developer that Fire TVs not supported the apps as a result of the apps have been exhibiting error messages throughout testing. However, testing wasn’t carried out on Fire TVs, the one kind of system that the apps declare to help. Eventually, the developer was informed by way of e mail that, “because your app overrides the native user experience (e.g., with a lockscreen or widget), it has not been published on Amazon devices,” AFTVnews reported.
The change has potential implications for the way Fire TVs’ app ecosystem would possibly look sooner or later, when Amazon has much more energy, because it’s planning to ditch its Android-based Fire OS in favor of its personal OS. Codenamed Vega, the upcoming OS is predicted to be primarily based on Linux. It’s unclear how Amazon would possibly use its in-house OS to regulate the Fire TV expertise additional, together with whether or not it’ll proceed to permit sideloading apps.