Amazon has always held a tight grip over the software that runs on its devices, and the company’s Echo line of smart speakers and displays is no different. In fact, it’s much more locked down than the Kindle Fire tablets that allow you to sideload regular Android apps. The Echo line doesn’t enjoy that privilege. But thanks to a new open-source project, you can now jailbreak select Echo Show 5 and Show 8 models and replace Amazon’s locked-down Fire OS with full-fledged Android.
Under the hood, Amazon’s smart displays pack similar specifications as mainstream Android devices. For instance, the second-gen Show 5 relied on MediaTek’s MT8163 chip, which also powered the Kindle Fire HD 8 tablet and several budget phones like the Nokia 5.1. However, Amazon has never permitted unlocking the bootloader on its smart displays, keeping us locked to the Alexa-centric Fire OS ecosystem.
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