- Amazon has revealed it created a new OS for its Fire TV Stick 4K Select to counter piracy.
- The new Vega OS prevents users from installing unauthorized apps on their TV Sticks.
- While Fire TV OS has traditionally been based on Android, the new OS is based on Linux to prevent sideloading of piracy-related apps.
Amazon has been widely criticized for a loose-handed approach towards piracy by allowing illegal streaming apps to exist on its platform. Following this criticism, it started booting a handful of less reliable or harmful third-party apps back in June. And now, it’s following with a stricter approach that makes it difficult for anyone with a Fire TV device to install unauthorized apps.
With the recently announced Fire TV Stick 4K Select, Amazon is cracking down on unapproved installs by users. The Athletic, part of The New York Times, recently reported that Amazon is relying on a new operating system it debuted with the new Fire TV Stick to prevent downloads from unknown sources. This is because the interface, called Vega OS, limits sideloading — just as Google plans to with Android — and only allows users to download apps listed on the Fire TV Appstore. The same is also highlighted on the Fire TV Stick 4K Select listing on Amazon.
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