Although Fire TV devices feature a forked version of Android, Amazon has long intended to develop its own custom operating system known as Vega. We first heard about this Linux-based OS a couple of years ago, and we have since stumbled upon multiple tidbits of information related to the software.
Following a couple of years of leaks, Amazon may finally be ready to show off the new OS for its Fire TV devices, according to a job listing posted by the company.
Thanks to Janko Roettgers’ weekly Lowpass newsletter for The Verge, we’re learning a fair bit about the company’s plans for Vega OS, including the fact that it could be announced at the company’s hardware event on September 30.
As per the now-deleted job listing, the company sought a software development manager to join the Prime Video team, with the development of a Prime Video app for Vega OS also listed among the responsibilities. Amazon has since rephrased the job listing by removing any mention of Vega, but the secret is already out. Unsurprisingly, Amazon hasn’t commented on this development (via 9to5Google).
Here’s an excerpt from the original job posting:
You will lead a team of engineers for the Prime Video (PV) Fire TV team, with full responsibility for the Vega OS experience. The team is responsible for the dedicated Prime Video app on Vega OS, as well as all PV experiences on the Vega Launcher. With the app launching in 2025, you will get to shape the future of this product as well as the culture of the team.
What’s with all this mystery?
Credit: Amazon
As Roettgers points out in the newsletter, Vega OS has already been launched on devices like the Echo Spot (2024), as well as the Echo Show 5 and Echo Hub models, albeit with little fanfare. Amazon has never publicly detailed its plans for the operating system, though past leaks have painted a vivid picture of the company’s intentions.
There was initially talk of Amazon debuting Vega on a “lower-powered” Fire TV Stick, but Roettgers was unable to confirm whether these plans are still on.
Amazon has reportedly been in talks with developers to build new apps for Vega OS, though there appear to be some challenges in this department. While Vega will be its new in-house operating system, Amazon doesn’t intend to completely abandon its current Fire TV devices.
With the retail giant not bringing the new software to existing Fire TV models, app developers will basically have to build apps for both Vega OS and the existing Fire TV platform. Recent reporting by Reuters suggests that Vega OS could also be featured in Amazon Fire tablets, though it’s unclear if Amazon will make this announcement during next week’s event.
While neither of Roettgers’ sources had info on what hardware Amazon will reveal at its September 30 event, the company’s teaser (pictured above) offers some clues. Based on the teaser, we can surmise that a Kindle, a TV or tablet product, and a couple of Echo hardware could be showcased on Tuesday. But news of the new operating system that will replace Android (to some extent) will undoubtedly make all the headlines.
