Amazon's new Apple TV competitor will moonlight as an Echo
A new version of the Fire TV, which will look like a small cube, will have many of the same features of Amazon's Echo smart speaker built right in, according to report by AFTVnews.com. It will have microphones (so you can speak with Alexa), a speaker (for music and responses), and even an LED light that mimics the top of the Echo, according to the report.
Like other Fire TVs, the new device will let you stream videos from Amazon and Netflix. Unlike previous models, though, it reportedly will allow you to interact with Amazon's Alexa smart assistant even when your TV isn't on.
The company will also be releasing a smaller version of the original Fire TV that will attach to your TV like a dongle, according to the report. For the first time for the Fire TV line, both of the new Fire TV models reportedly will support high-dynamic range (HDR) videos. HDR offer greater contrast between light and dark areas than standard videos, allowing them to see previously hidden details in scenes.
Both of the new boxes will also support ultra-high definition 4K video, the next step up after high-definition, according to the report.
Here's a look at both of the new gadgets:
It's not clear when Amazon will begin selling the new devices or how much they will cost. Amazon representatives declined to comment.
Amazon recently discontinued the previous model of its Fire TV box. According to the AFTVnews report, it plans to continue selling its Fire TV Stick, which is about the size of a piece of gum and plugs directly into a TV. But that model does not support 4K or HDR video.
Owners of of the older Fire TV and the Fire TV Stick could interact with Alexa - but only by pressing a button on their remote controls and only when those devices were connected to an external speaker that was turned on.
The new Fire TV devices' support for 4K and HDR and their Alexa capabilities could help them better compete with the new Apple TV.