Amazon today revealed its latest streaming TV device, the Fire TV Stick 4K, which includes support for Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and HDR10+. The device also comes shipped with a revamped Alexa Voice Remote, all packaged together for $49.99.

Amazon says the 4K stick is over 80 percent more powerful than the previous generation, with a new quad core, 1.7GHz processor for quicker load times and enhanced picture quality. With 4K support, users can watch Amazon's catalog of thousands of 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+ titles. The company says this is the first time a streaming media stick has supported Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, the latter of which requires a compatible connected home audio system.

fire tv stick 4k 2
The Fire TV Stick 4K also provides access to the usual array of apps and Alexa skills that users expect, like Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, Starz, Showtime, CBS All Access, and more. There's also over 500,000 movies and tv episodes available directly on Fire TV through Amazon Prime.

The company announced new apps are gaining in-app voice control on Fire TV, including A&E, AMC, Sony Crackle, Hallmark Movies Now, HBO Now, HISTORY, IFC, Lifetime, and VH1. These join Netflix, Prime Video, and others, and the feature allows users to call up Alexa to play, rewind, fast forward, and navigate through menus with just their voice.

“We’ve listened to our customers and pushed to deliver the complete 4K solution they are looking for, all within a compact stick form factor,” said Marc Whitten, Vice President, Amazon Fire TV.

“The team invented an entirely new antenna technology and combined that with a powerful 802.11ac Wi-Fi chip that optimizes for the best possible 4K UHD streaming experience, even in congested network environments. Our new quad-core processor delivers a fast and fluid experience and support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+ provides an amazing picture. Plus, the all-new Alexa Voice Remote lets you control your complete entertainment experience and use your voice to quickly find the content you want. Just say, ‘Find 4K movies.’”

The Fire TV Stick 4K can be paired with an Echo device and Alexa to control streaming content with far-field voice recognition. Customers can also opt to use the bundled-in Alexa Voice Remote, which combines Bluetooth and multidirectional infrared technology to power on compatible TV and AV equipment, switch inputs, or even tune to a channel on a cable box. The new remote also has dedicated power, volume, and mute buttons, and users can speak directly to Alexa by holding down the microphone button.

Roku has also recently cut down the cost of entry-level 4K streaming devices, announcing the Roku Premiere with 4K support at $39.99 in the U.S. Comparatively, the Apple TV 4K is $179.99 in its cheapest 32GB option, although it has dipped down to as low as $105 in previous sales.

fire tv stick 4k 1
Today's news comes a few weeks after Amazon announced a long list of new products at an event in Seattle, including new Echo speakers and Alexa-enabled subwoofers, amplifiers, a microwave, wall clock, and more. In total, senior vice president of Amazon Devices Dave Limp said that the event marked the largest number of devices and features that Amazon has ever debuted in one day.

Amazon has put the Fire TV Stick 4K up for pre-order today for $49.99, and the device will start shipping on October 31 in the United States and Canada. The United Kingdom, Germany, and India will see a launch in November, and Japan will get the 4K stick by the end of the year. Customers can also pre-order the new Alexa Voice Remote separately for $29.99, and it will launch on October 31 as well.

Tag: Amazon

Top Rated Comments

HobeSoundDarryl Avatar
72 months ago
Would someone who has invested THOUSANDS on an AV system with at least 9 speakers, an expensive AV receiver, and a pricey 4K TV with HDR10+ really consider a $50 device that streams over WIFI (how many people have the bandwidth to stream 4K) for their system?

Is this all about boasting specs or is there really a market for this?

Despite this, if they go on sale for $39 during BF, I'm in for one. Just because. ;)
Not that many people spend "thousands on an AV system with at least 9 speakers"... even many in this crowd here seems to "cheap out" when it comes to non-Apple CE. For example, when ATMOS was announced, I can't tell you how many people starting spinning desire for a low-cost ATMOS soundbar (pretty much missing the fundamental point of ATMOS) and/or wanted what was a mono-like HomePod to double as up to an ATMOS speaker system for :apple:TV ("but, but through (sound) beam forming, blah, blah, blah"). :rolleyes:

Even when a rumor pops up of Apple taking a hardware step forward with :apple:TV, "we" become a heavy "good enough" crowd instead of longing for "latest & greatest" if it means having to shell out upwards of maybe $200 for a new :apple:TV. TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS for a complete Apple product? Heaven forbid! :eek:

Go spend some time in the :apple:TV section of this site and you are likely to find lots and lots of people who will get up at 3am trying to be "first!" to buy a thousand dollar phone that barely does much more than the thousand dollar phone they bought last year... who then seem oddly focused on how cheap they can buy home theater tech that they'll probably use for the next 10 years: TV, speakers, and all such kit. You'll even find much debate about whether $20 more for 64GB is a better choice than 32GB :apple:TV... like some of us will really think long and hard about $20 for anything from Apple.

So yes, plenty of room for this kind of thing in an AV stack... even among this "I'll pay Apple anything" crowd "one kidney can still do the job.";)

Besides, some homes have a LOT of televisions in them. A LOT of :apple:TVs to mostly play Netflix or a few other major apps can add up to a whole new iPhone or two. Or enjoy the good box on the main TV and load the less-important TVs with this cheaper option. The kids really won't care... nor will most of those that don't sleep, eat and breathe all things Apple.

And competition is always good for us consumers.
[doublepost=1538579684][/doublepost]
Apple's device and OS is much better imo, not enough to justify the huge price difference for most users.

The majority of people probably use the same few apps like Netflix, YouTube, HBO, and if they can get access to the apps on the much cheaper device, why go for the very expensive ATV?
Because one has an Apple logo... making pretty much everything about the other product wrong/waste/useless/ugly/likely to explode/faulty/causes cancer/drives unicorns toward extinction/etc. ;)
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CJM Avatar
72 months ago
I’m glad that Amazon is so aggressive on their pricing. I feel like tech prices have just been creeping up higher and higher instead of getting cheaper for better technology.
Unless I just had money to spare, I’d always choose this over the Apple TV.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Juicy Box Avatar
72 months ago
Can you watch iTunes movies and other Apple content on Amazon’s junk?
I don't think so, but unless the user has a decent iTunes collection currently, they probably would use one of the many other options out there that are more universal. Especially when they find out they need to get a streaming box that is many times the price of competing boxes to watch iTunes Content.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
seinman Avatar
72 months ago
I wouldn't rely on a $50 wireless stick. I'd have a BOX, hard-wired into my home network, for the most reliable playback.
https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Ethernet-Adapter-Fire-Devices/dp/B074TC662N
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dmylrea Avatar
72 months ago
Would someone who has invested THOUSANDS on an AV system with at least 9 speakers, an expensive AV receiver, and a pricey 4K TV with HDR10+ really consider a $50 device that streams over WIFI (how many people have the bandwidth to stream 4K) for their system?

Is this all about boasting specs or is there really a market for this?

Despite this, if they go on sale for $39 during BF, I'm in for one. Just because. ;)
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Delgibbons Avatar
72 months ago
Holy moley that's cheap
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

reset password request iphone

Warning: Apple Users Targeted in Phishing Attack Involving Rapid Password Reset Requests

Tuesday March 26, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
Phishing attacks taking advantage of Apple's password reset feature have become increasingly common, according to a report from KrebsOnSecurity. Multiple Apple users have been targeted in an attack that bombards them with an endless stream of notifications or multi-factor authentication (MFA) messages in an attempt to cause panic so they'll respond favorably to social engineering. An...
iPhone Home Screen Gradient Blank Spaces 1

Sources: iOS 18 Lets Apps Be Placed Anywhere on Home Screen Grid

Sunday March 24, 2024 1:33 pm PDT by
iOS 18 will give iPhone users greater control over Home Screen app icon arrangement, according to sources familiar with the matter. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, to ensure there is some uniformity, our sources say that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18. For example, we expect that the update will introduce...
iPad Pro 2024 Landscape Camera Feature

New iPad Pro Again Rumored to Feature Landscape Front-Facing Camera

Monday March 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
The next-generation iPad Pro will feature a landscape-oriented front-facing camera for the first time, according to the Apple leaker known as "Instant Digital." Instant Digital reiterated the design change earlier today on Weibo with a simple accompanying 2D image. The post reveals that the entire TrueDepth camera array will move to the right side of the device, while the microphone will...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2024 Event for June 10 to 14

Tuesday March 26, 2024 10:02 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 35th annual Worldwide Developers Conference is set to take place from Monday, June 10 to Friday, June 14. As with WWDC events since 2020, WWDC 2024 will be an online event that is open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. WWDC 2024 will include online sessions and labs so that developers can learn about new...
sonoma desktop wwdc

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 With Fix for USB Hub Bug

Monday March 25, 2024 10:10 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sonoma 14.4.1, a minor update for the macOS Sonoma operating system that launched last September. macOS Sonoma 14.4.1 comes three weeks after macOS Sonoma 14.4. The ‌‌‌‌macOS Sonoma‌‌ 14.4‌.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Settings. There's also a macOS 13.6.6 release for those who...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Purple

iOS 18 Will Finally Bring This Android Feature to iPhone

Monday March 25, 2024 6:42 am PDT by
iOS 18 will allow iPhone users to place app icons anywhere on the Home Screen grid, according to sources familiar with development of the software update. This basic feature has long been available on Android smartphones. While app icons will likely remain locked to an invisible grid system on the Home Screen, our sources said that users will be able to arrange icons more freely on iOS 18....
apple maps 3d feature

Apple Maps May Gain Custom Routes With iOS 18

Tuesday March 26, 2024 3:10 pm PDT by
Apple may be planning to add support for "custom routes" in Apple Maps in iOS 18, according to code reviewed by MacRumors. Apple Maps does not currently offer a way to input self-selected routes, with Maps users limited to Apple's pre-selected options, but that may change in iOS 18. Apple has pushed an iOS 18 file to its maps backend labeled "CustomRouteCreation." While not much is revealed...