Amazon Planning March Launch for Apple TV Set-Top Box Competitor

by

In light of recent reports stating that Apple is hard at work on an Apple TV refresh, Amazon is allegedly readying a new Web TV box that would compete with Apple's set-top box and the Roku, according to Re/code. The report states that Amazon's new media streaming device could be available as soon as March.

amazon_logo
Similar to rumors that surfaced last year, this latest information claims Amazon's set-top box will tie into the company's Instant Video service and may support third-party content providers in a manner similar to the Apple TV and Roku.

A box is also a logical move for Amazon, which is investing heavily to build up a Web video catalog, and is starting to produce its own shows as well. An Amazon box will allow its customers to easily watch that stuff on their TVs; it should also give other content providers a chance to serve up their stuff via apps, in the way that Roku and Apple TV boxes do.

Sources tell me Amazon’s box is will be powered by Google’s Android operating system, which is also not a surprise — Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets use a “forked” version of Android.

Re/code also speculates that Amazon's set-top box could contain a gaming component, noting that the company is looking to expand its Amazon Games Studio by hiring game developers who can "break down technology barriers and deliver experiences people have never seen before." This follows another recent rumor from VG247 that suggests the online retailer is working on an Android gaming console similar to the Ouya.

Amazon has stepped up its streaming content offerings in the past year, producing 14 original television pilots and using feedback to decide which get made into full shows, as well as spending significant amounts of money to secure exclusive rights to popular shows like Downton Abbey and The West Wing.

Currently, Amazon's Instant Video service is available on iPads and iPhones, the Xbox 360, the Nintendo Wii, the Sony Playstation 3, smart televisions from LG, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, and Vizio, TiVo, the Roku box, as well as a number of Blu-ray players.

Top Rated Comments

MattG Avatar
MattG
99 months ago
Ugggh...I just want one box that does it all. Wish ATV would just do Amazon Prime.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GenesisST Avatar
GenesisST
99 months ago
The more the better. The faster cable companies loose power over distribution, the better.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
monty77 Avatar
monty77
99 months ago
..hopefully this means Apple will finally give us the App store we've wanted for so long - letting Amazon get there first would be extremely unwise.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
alent1234 Avatar
alent1234
99 months ago
they banned my account with no warnings or notice and screwed over all my DIGITAL PURCHASES and bricked two kindles in the process. F them, even if you think your account would never get banned I want everyone to take note that they have the ability to mess you up real badly and what's worse screw over digital content that you supposedly OWN over issues that have no relationship to the digital purchases. Other than that, yeah, great idea, the market is screaming for yet another set top streaming media box.

i'm sure you had nothing to do with it
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
japanime Avatar
japanime
99 months ago
And Roku will continue to quietly kick everyone else's butts.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
edk99 Avatar
edk99
99 months ago
Incredibly it seems they make very little, therefore pay very little in tax.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/may/16/amazon-tax-avoidance-profits

..massive uproar in the UK not so long ago as they were branded a tax cheat given their billions in turnover, press neglected to highlight that you don't pay tax on turnover only profit.
It always amazes me that people are quick to brand a company a "tax cheat" when in reality they are just following the rules put in place by the government. Until government changes the rules or they are caught red handed actually really cheating on their taxes then the peoples uproar should be with the government and not Amazon, Apple or google or any other large world wide company that legally takes advantage of tax laws to lower their tax exposure. They shouldn't have to give the government one penny more then they have to just like each one of us.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments

Top Stories

apple california streaming event

Apple Event Announced: 'California Streaming' on September 14 With iPhone 13, Apple Watch Series 7 Expected

Tuesday September 7, 2021 9:03 am PDT by
Apple today announced that it will be holding a special event on Tuesday, September 14 at 10:00 a.m. The event will take place at the Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. As with WWDC and last year's fall events, this new event will be held digitally with no members of the media invited to attend in person. Apple will likely provide pre-taped segments for...
Read Full Article • 257 comments
Apple Prefer Lightning Over USB C Feature

iPhone Sticking With Lightning Port Over USB-C for 'Foreseeable Future'

Tuesday March 2, 2021 9:32 am PST by
Apple will retain the Lightning connector on the iPhone for the "foreseeable future," with no intention of switching to USB-C, according to reliable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In spite of much of the industry moving toward USB-C, Apple will not be using it to replace the Lightning connector on the iPhone 13, or indeed on any iPhone model for the time being. In a note seen by MacRumors yesterday,...
Read Full Article • 306 comments
iphone 12 colors 2021

iPhone 12 Colors: Deciding on The Right Color

Thursday November 5, 2020 8:35 am PST by
The iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro arrived in October 2020 in a range of color options, with entirely new hues available on both devices, as well as some popular classics. The 12 and 12 Pro have different color choices, so if you have your heart set on a particular shade, you might not be able to get your preferred model in that color. iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone...
Read Full Article
it home ecommerce app iphone 13

iPhone 13 to Launch on September 17, AirPods 3 on September 30, Claims Report

Wednesday August 25, 2021 2:42 am PDT by
Apple may be planning to launch the iPhone 13 on Friday, September 17 and third-generation AirPods on Thursday, September 30, according to an image of an e-commerce app discovered by Chinese language site IT Home. The screenshot, originally posted by Weibo account @PandaIsBald, suggests all four iPhone 13 models will go on sale on September 17, followed by the AirPods 3 on September 30....
Read Full Article • 74 comments
youtube apple tv

YouTube Discontinuing 3rd-Generation Apple TV App, AirPlay Still Available

Wednesday February 3, 2021 3:09 pm PST by
YouTube is planning to stop supporting its YouTube app on the third-generation Apple TV models, where YouTube has long been available as a channel option. A 9to5Mac reader received a message about the upcoming app discontinuation, which is set to take place in March.Starting early March, the YouTube app will no longer be available on Apple TV (3rd generation). You can still watch YouTube on...
Read Full Article • 95 comments
original iphone

Phil Schiller Says iPhone Was 'Earth-Shattering' Ten Years Ago and Remains 'Unmatched' Today

Monday January 9, 2017 7:15 am PST by
To commemorate the tenth anniversary of the iPhone, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller sat down with tech journalist Steven Levy for a wide-ranging interview about the smartphone's past, present, and future. The report first reflects upon the iPhone's lack of support for third-party apps in its first year. The argument inside Apple was split between whether the iPhone should be a closed...
Read Full Article • 424 comments
studio buds family

Beats Studio Buds Debuting Today With Active Noise Cancellation, Stemless Design, and More for $150

Monday June 14, 2021 8:00 am PDT by
We've seen a lot of teasers about the Beats Studio Buds over the past month since they first showed up in Apple's beta software updates, and today they're finally official. The Beats Studio Buds are available to order today in red, white, and black ahead of a June 24 ship date, and they're priced at $149.99. The Studio Buds are the first Beats-branded earbuds to truly compete with AirPods...
Read Full Article • 198 comments
maroon5memories

Apple Collaborates With Maroon 5 to Add 'Memories' Song to Photos App

Wednesday September 25, 2019 12:02 pm PDT by
Apple has teamed up with Maroon 5 to add the group's new song "Memories" to the Memories feature in the Photos app, allowing it to be used for photo slide show creations, reports Billboard. "Memories" will be available as a soundtrack option for a limited time and it is available to iPhone and iPad users running the latest iOS 13 and iPadOS software. Memories in the Photos app are created ...
Read Full Article • 31 comments
ulysses Blog Publishing

Ulysses 22 Brings New Blogging Options and Visual Customizations

Monday March 22, 2021 5:24 am PDT by
Popular writing app Ulysses today received its 22nd major release, introducing new publishing features and additional options for users to customize the visual appearance of their writing environment. As well as providing a focused writing environment, Ulysses offers ways to publish texts from within the app to various blogging platforms. Version 22 adds the ability to publish to Micro.blog, ...
Read Full Article • 28 comments
affinity designer contour tool

Serif Updates Affinity Photo, Designer, and Publisher With New Tools and Functions

Thursday February 4, 2021 1:58 am PST by
Serif today announced across-the-board updates for its popular suite of Affinity creative apps, including Affinity Photo, Affinity Designer, and the Apple award-winning Affinity Publisher for Mac, all of which were among the first professional creative suites to be optimized for Apple's new M1 chip. "After another year which saw record numbers of people switching to Affinity, it's exciting to...
Read Full Article • 86 comments